Pune teams dominate at South United FC Inter-City tournament

Bengaluru, Jan 14 (IANS) Teams from Pune secured four out of the five titles across the different age categories in the inaugural SUFC Inter-City Tournament, where kids from South United Football Academy’s Bengaluru and Pune competed against each other at the club’s state-of-the-art facility in Ulsoor.
 

The players from the Pune centres also proved their mettle by securing most of the individual awards in the tournament, which saw over 250 young footballers from both cities, where SUFC demonstrated its importance to grassroots footballing initiatives.

The teams from Pune won four out of the five titles across the categories: Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, and Under-15, and the Under-17 title was won by SUFC Pillars from Bengaluru.

Speaking about SUFC’s initiative, Terry Phelan, Sporting Director of South United Sports Foundation, said, "The thought process around this tournament was to bring all our teams to Bengaluru and provide them with an experience of such an Inter-City tournament. I believe that the players, coaches, and parents had fun here, which has been our commitment.

"We are trying to grow the game at the grassroots level and help players progress in the game. Our growth over the last few years has been immense, and we are now even building a residential academy in the heart of Bangalore. It's been absolutely brilliant to see and be part of it."

Beyond the competition, the tournament also offered enriching experiences for the young players, including a meet-and-greet session with the Sporting Director of South United Sports Foundation Terry Phelan and interactions with the club’s senior team players.

The participants also attended an Indian Super League (ISL) match between Bengaluru FC and Mohammedan SC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on January 11, adding to the excitement of the weekend.

“I believe the last two days have been truly memorable for both the teams and the staff. The thing that stands out the most is that it has been both enjoyable and a valuable learning experience," Terry added.

This tournament also acted as a scouting platform for SUFC’s new Residential Academy Program. The aim of the residential program is to provide world-class facilities and holistic training to bridge the gap between grassroots and professional development and provide a clear pathway for the progression of players.

--IANS

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