No level-playing field for young footballers

CHENNAI: For youngsters, who live around the Samanthipoo Colony slums in Vyasarpadi, football has taken them places and given them a second lease of life. Now, as they get ready for the next season of football, which starts mid-January, the Chennai Corporation playground in Samanthipoo colony is the only stumbling block to their aspirations. The playground is unfit for use, as it is filled with rubble, stone chips and garbage.Dileeban (15), a mid fielder who is the captain of the Chennai Under-19 district team, said, “If only the Corporation cleans up the ground before the football season begins, it would be really helpful for us to practise. As the football selection for all levels starts after mid-January, it is important for all the players to be in top form.”The concrete rubble and other wastage from a nearby construction site occupy more than half of the Samanthippo Colony Corporation playground. Hence, it has made difficult for the football players to practise on the ground for more than a year now.N Thangaraj, Coach and Coordinator of Slum Children Sports Talent Education Development Society, an NGO that uses football to bring  social transformation among the children in the Vyasarpadi slums, said, “As the selection for this football season starts soon, it is very important for the players to have good practice. As more and more young people are getting into football, we really need this space. Now, we have only Kalyanapuram school playground to practice.”Appu (17), who was once a child labourer, got introduced to football and has now joined back Class 9 in the nearby school, said, “I started playing football only eight months ago and now I am happy to be back in school. This playground is very important for people like me from the slums because when we play, it prevents us from getting distracted and drawn towards other unwanted habits. Playing football helps us to positively channelise our energies.”Saktheeshwari (20), who was recently selected to be a referee by Tamil Nadu Football Association, couldn’t agree more with Appu. She said, “Now, more and more youngsters from the slums are coming forward to play football. Not having a ground to play should not affect their future prospects.”G Saravanan, Councillor, 46 Division, Vyasarpadi, said, “I completely understand how important it is for the youngsters of this area to play football. We have already taken up the initiative of cleaning it up. We have started the work and soon, we will make the ground ready for playing football so that they can practice better.”