The First Nagaland Open Women Football League cum Knock Out tournament was kicked off today at Indira Gandhi Stadium Kohima by Hekani Jakhalu, Advisor for Industries and Commerce.
Lauding the Youth Resource & Sports Department for the visionary event for women, Hekani said that football is a multi-billion-dollar industry and hoped that the new leadership in the department will help Nagaland make its mark in the world football map like its neighbour Manipur.
She encouraged the participants to “break the barriers” like Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse and herself. “… whatever you pursue, make sure you make a career for yourself. Make sure that you earn your own livelihood,” the advisor said to the girls.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
Stating that sports teach many good qualities, Hekani highlighted five main qualities that one can learn from football:
Leadership skills: She stated that a captain, as a leader of a team, lifts up her/his teammates and guide them to do better and likewise in life and in any career, the quality of leadership is very important.
Team player: “In any profession, you never work alone. You always work with people. If you do not know how to adjust with people, or you don’t know how to work with people, you will never succeed in life. Sports and football teach you to be a team player.”
Perseverance: She said that success does not happen overnight and that even the greatest sportspersons go through difficult times, but they never gave up pursuing what they were doing and that is why they are superstars today. Don’t give up, she said.
Focus: Regretting that being focussed is not a forte of the Nagas, she urged the girls to make sure not to get distracted while pursuing their goals.
Goal: “… when you are focused on your goals, you will find a way to overcome obstacles. Even in football, you all have different skills and positions. You know that the target is the goal, and you work on improving your skills that will help you achieve the goals. In life, you have to set a goal, so that you go and reach the goal. That will give you fulfilment as you grow up,” she advised.
K Neibou Sekhose, President of Nagaland Football Association too encouraged the girls to fight for their dreams with confidence and determination even though sacrifices have to be made.
Highlighting discipline as the foremost quality to get success, he said, “Discipline works best when it is self-imposed rather than externally enforced.” Citing the example to Dr T. Ao, the Naga icon of football, who despite lacking ball, ground or boot, reached the status because of his passion for football, determination, and self-discipline.
Sekhose said that there may not be world standard ground in Nagaland, but there are a good number of grounds for practice and tournaments, latest football kits and good football coaches so it is up to the strong determinations of the players to excel. He also expressed hope that the state will benefit from the many programs of All India Football Federation.
Further, he informed of NFA’s plan to reach out to all schools in the state in co-ordination with the sports and education department. NFA also plans to train 16 district trainers and one course incubator in each school in the state to reach 2 lakh students by 2026, he said adding that in December 2022, football for school was launched in the state. Beside the other tournaments this year, the first edition of the Woman’s Inter District Football Championship will be held in the month of October in Kohima, Sekhose announced.
Earlier, the program was blessed with invocation by PCRC Kohima Pastor Vikhoto Zao, special number Seyiekhonuo Yhome while Director YRS, Kethosituo Sekhose, NCS chaired the program.
The program was followed administration of oath and declaration of tournament open.
