BENGALURU: This Sunday saw the finals of the inaugural edition of Double Pass Development League (DPDL), where Bengaluru Football Club’s (BFC) under-11 team came first, followed by Bangalore City Football Club (BCFC), who won in the under-7 and under-9 categories. The finale, which was held at Kicks on Grass, Bellandur, came after a seven-month
season of league rounds. Each team played over 25 matches with 500 kids from 39 teams participating across age categories. Sehajvir Singh, captain of BFC Under-11, said such formats provide the team with more competitive games. He added, “We have trained a lot together but we haven’t been able to get competitive matches, apart from a few friendlies. To be a part of a proper league over seven months has taught us a lot. We learn more about each other and how the coach wants us to play. This has a positive impact on team morale.”
The league was attended by Naushad Moosa, assistant coach, BFC, who spoke about the emergence of such baby leagues across the country serving as a platform for young talents. He reflected on the number of kids in the league, which is more than the senior team’s current total of 18. Moosa emphasised on how baby leagues allow young talents to start early and also serve as an avenue to scout players for the future. “When you have games with a smaller side, the decision making improves, along with individual areas of skill. Baby leagues allow coaches to see a variety of talent and this helps us recruit more local talent. Another important aspect is that it helps prevent age cheating as it maintains a registered track record.”
Rajat Baid, director, Double Pass India, the local chapter of a Belgium-based talent development company, spoke about the format of the league, which aims to maximise the number of competitive games for kids. According to him, while kids in European and South American countries play 30-40 games a year, on average, kids in India struggle to get even a quarter of the same. “By bridging the gap with respect to matches, we are enhancing the performance of kids. The dream is to see Indian talents playing in European leagues and big clubs,” he said.