Night football tourney ; Kangpokpi scripts history in Manipur
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, September 28 2017: Following the inauguration and opening of a magnificent playground in Kangpokpi district and the much awaited Football Invitation Tournament, Kangpokpi district scripted another history in Manipur Football by organizing the first ever 'Night Football Tournament' at Kuki Football Academy Playground, D Phaihel village .

Earlier, Kangpokpi district had scripted history in the field of education when Eklavya Model Residential School, Gamnom-Sapormeina produced the largest number of subject toppers in the HSLC examination, 2017, which was well acclaimed by all and sundry .

Now, a tiny village comprising of only 14 houses located just around 1 Km away from Trans Asian Highway No.1 in Kholjang area has scripted a record in Manipur football when it successfully hosted the first ever 'Night Football Tournament' with an aim to promote football by introducing Kuki Football Academy.

A total of 5600 Watt on eight floodlight poles surround the playground.

One pole each in the four corners, one each on either side of the middle part and another one each behind the two goal posts.

The four corner poles and the two middle poles consist of two Havells bulb of 400 Watt each and the pole behind the two goal posts consists of one Havells bulb each of 400 Watt which is more than enough to conduct the night match .

Each of the Havells bulb cost Rs 9,000/- and it was brought from Kolkata .

The Kuki Football Academy playground is so maintained that it looks like an artificial turf ground while the surrounding area of the field has a hygienic setting with green plants and herbs .

Surprisingly, the tiny village with a population of not more than 150 took only a year and a half to set up such a playground besides the well maintained and hygienic village .

Thangboi Kipgen, the mastermind behind such an exemplary initiative, who is also a football lover since his tender age, detailed how he came with such an innovative idea which could be a blessing for the young sports lovers of Manipur and more particularly among the Kuki community .

"My passion to set up Kuki Football Academy, to develop the quality of Manipur football with special emphasis on Kuki football even upto the level of international standard, triggered my determination and led to the setting up of the playground as well as introduction of the Night Football Tournament", revealed Thangboi .

Thangboi Kipgen who wishes to develop football from grassroots level said that "if things go as planned the Kuki Football Academy at D Phaihel will be operational very soon and once it is operational I will enrol only Class III students in the Academy with maximum intake capacity of 30."
He said that the students will be provided academic education as well as football education in the Academy but special emphasis will be on football while everything including fooding, lodging, uniforms, sports materials, etc will be provided free of cost .

"It is an aim to expose the Kuki youth of the next generation to the outside world on a larger scale in the field of football by developing their skills and talents from grassroots level in the Academy", Thangboi asserted .

Meanwhile, the Night Football Invitation Tournament has attracted many football lovers of the district as this will be their first experience with night football.

Comment