Before the 7-A football matches in the bone chilling winter season in Kashmir, it is the fine bracing early spring followed by the summer that sets the stage far and wider for footballers in Kashmir. Donned with coveted jerseys, they run on adrenaline, blood is pumped and fists thud in joy when magicians come up with the last minute GOALS!
In Kashmir, football was introduced in early 1890s by Tyndale Biscoe, the founder of the mission school in summer Capital Srinagar. And later on, it had reached to schools, colleges and streets when grounds were occupied or unavailable.
As the time passed, football has improved compared to past many years in Kashmir. The different clubs are determined to impact the grass-root football in a big way and contribute equally for the football in Kashmir.
While producing many star players, it has witnessed terrible days too. In 2006, JKFA unfortunately, had lost the race against Haryana for 61st Santosh Trophy owing to the non-availability of the required infrastructure that hit the budding players of the different clubs across the valley.
Government had no other choice except to give a call to shape-up a football stadium for a sport advancing in all terms. After the tirade of talent at different club levels in this region that made a mark even when there was no healthy infrastructure around.
For many matches there had been the goalless contests, but different leagues are making an impact in the soccer circles and football is becoming instant hit among the youth of Kashmir, like the game of cricket that has gained more publicity than football over a decade or so.
The soccer goes global; amid all this legs are considered an important asset to any footballer across the globe. Through the ball-game, sweating sprinters bring lot of excitement on and off the field among the fans. The experience is the add-on and to benefit the demanding teams is highly appreciated in football world.
Off the nets, following the suit of substitutes, stopwatches the crash landing is always an intimidation that might cut-short their professional career. Yet, footballers hide their unbearable pain for their fans and above all the nation itself, they are proud of and play for.
In 2014, the then chief minister Omar Abdullah had inaugurated first ever synthetic turf for TRC Polo Ground – the football stadium which has the capacity of around 15,000 spectators. The project had costed over 4.50 crore and the stadium is considered as of international standard.
The football fever in Kashmir was at its peak up to 90s, and it has suffered immensely there on. But it has somehow regained its lost glory to become a major success in soccer world when it comes to the deep passion for the sport and many footballers are getting a platform to show their talent.
The state government, football association, coaches, club owners, players has to ensure that sport works together to improve facilities across the valley.
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