On what was just another day for young footballer Hariharan S at school, his life transformed when an official of the Chennai Kaalpandhu League (CKL) walked into his classroom and called him. “They saw me play for my local club, Netaji FC in Vyasarpadi, and told me to attend coaching sessions after school,” he told CE.
But his journey with the game began when he saw his father Sugumar play with his elder brothers in Vysarpadi. In an age where children get inspired by those who score goals, Hariharan’s source of inspiration comes from those between the sticks. “I saw my father play as a goalkeeper. That position fascinated me,” he said.
His father, a driver at SIPCOT, played local level football. His mother, Saraswati, works as an office assistant in a private firm. One of his brothers was part of Loyola College’s football team. “I played with the gloves the local club gave me. We could not afford a pair of gloves,” the 13-year-old recalled. Then, when he forayed into the CKL, which is run by LatentView Analytics, he played two seasons (four and five), starred, and landed himself a scholarship from the Sports Authority of India. Additionally, he trains at the Murugappa Youth Football Academy in Avadi “I study at the Don Bosco School in Perambur. They help facilitate my training, too,” he added. He now aims to improve his game.
Hariharan has shown how initiatives like CKL can transform lives. “The academy has given me practice kits, and two pairs of shoes — one for mud grounds and another for turf,” said the fan of Argentina’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. “I like his goalkeeping style. He is assertive and makes sure he gets the better of his opponents.”
Season 6 concludes
The sixth season of Chennai Kaalpandhu League came to a spirited close recently at Pavendar Bharathidasan Play Field, Shenoy Nagar, bringing together more than 750 young footballers from 34 government schools across Chennai. The week-long Under-13 tournament saw 53 teams compete across the boys’ and girls’ categories, culminating in an exciting finals day. The celebrations were joined by Aditi Chauhan, former Indian footballer, and H Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, ISL footballer, who cheered the young players and witnessed the culmination of Season 6. Winners: Boys: Govt Higher Secondary School, Manali; Runners-up: Chennai Middle School, Milk Colony; Girls: Govt Model Higher secondary school Arumbakkam; Runners-up: Chennai Higher Secondary School, Washermanpet