Football, being one of the most played sports in the world, is not just a game of dribbling, passing, and scoring goals but also a game of various skills and teamwork. At the school level, students are coached and trained for this game so that students not only get a chance to enhance their physical fitness and agility for the game, but also to improve their concentration and swiftness while fostering coordination skills among players.
At Atmiya Vidya Mandir, in line with the school’s motto, ‘Union of Body, Mind, and Soul’, students are not only given the opportunity to unveil their latent talents and abilities on the sports field but also to cultivate teamwork and collaboration.
On 11th September 2023, with the divine blessings of the founder of the school, His Divine Holiness Param Pujya Hariprasad Swamiji, AVM’s U-19 team, which included students of std. 9, 10, and 11, was granted the opportunity to participate in the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) Under 19 Football tournament. This tournament was a district-level competition that was organised at The Millennium School, Surat.
The tournament kicked off with great enthusiasm and excitement as young players from schools across the region gathered to showcase their skills and talents. Under the guidance of Ritesh Sir and with the coaching expertise of our newly appointed football coach, Swadesh Sir, AVM’s team was granted the opportunity to compete in the opening game against a school from the area near Kosamba. Right from the outset, both teams showcased exceptional dribbling and passing abilities as they darted across the field in pursuit of the ball. It was a dramatic game; however, towards the end, there was a stroke of misfortune that saw the opponent team emerge victorious with a 0-2 scoreline.
In the wake of this defeat, AVM football players learned a crucial lesson that even in the face of loss, AVM bhoolkus continued to remain hopeful and continued to support and encourage teammates. AVM players remembered that despite defeat at the playground, true victory lies in sincere practice and participation, rather than the score. Thus, this tournament wasn’t merely a loss for the individuals; instead, it served as a valuable lesson for the entire team.
Ashish Kursawe, Yug Bhakta (Grade 11)
