KOCHI: Till a few years ago, children in certain areas of the Municipality of Maradu had been staring at a strong prospect of becoming social rejects. Surrounded by substance-addicts and drunkards, they were more susceptible to teenage experimentation with intoxicants. Their future was blurred beyond high-school and was dominated by an infectious desire to be part of the street fighters’ gang.
But their lives turned around when a group of young men reintroduced football to the community. They canvassed the young minds and sowed the seeds of passion. During the intense training sessions, they whispered about fame and fortune. Today, each child wakes up nursing an ache to excel.
Once popular in the 80s, football was brought to its previous glory in Maradu by a local initiative — the K Ambujakshan Memorial Football Training Centre (KAMFTC). It was started in 2012 by a group of young players in the locality, who could not sit and watch boys being drawn by the vices of the society. They pooled in money and organised a tournament. It spurred the interest for football among youngsters and, gradually, the game gained wider acceptability in and around the small town of Maradu. “The reformative effect football had on the boys was so tremendous that even parents started encouraging their children. Today, the training centre has the support of the entire society and trains around 70 children,” said KAMFTC secretary M S Manoj. Seeing the response, the municipality also pitched in. Last year, it sanctioned ` 5 lakh to revamp their home turf at the Government Mangayil VHSS Ground, said councillor Jinson Peter. The municipality has also sent a proposal worth ` 1 crore, to the Sports Ministry to enlarge the ground, he added.
“Our aim is to develop a professional team good enough to play in the I-League,” said K Shaji, an office-bearer.