Ronnie Screwvala's USports partners with HFA
Press Trust of India New Delhi U Dream Football today formalised its association with the Haryana Football Association and the Haryana Olympic association, to launch the U Dream Haryana Football Club - the first step in creating a sustainable grass roots development program for the sport.
Announcing the association Deepender Singh Hooda, President - Haryana Football Association and P V Rathee, Secretary - Haryana Football Association and Haryana Olympic Association along with Ronnie Screwvala, Founder - U Sports and Supratik Sen, CEO - U Sports.
The U Dream Haryana Foootball club, would be home to the boys on returning from the six-year tenure at the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim academy under the U Dream Football program which was launched last year in partnership with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
The U Dream program under the collaborative guidance of Bundesliga, was a scouting program based across 1,000 schools in over 45 cities to send 15 boys (aged under 14 years) to Zuzenhausen, Germany and train at the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim academy for a period of six years.
Commenting on the association, Hooda, "Haryana is widely regarded as the sporting powerhouse of the country and their approach towards sports development in India is an example for the rest of the states. The state has always been at the centre of sporting activity in the country and we are glad to be associated with a grassroot development program such as U Dream."
Supratik Sen said, "Over the next few months, we aim to introduce 10 U Dream Excellence Centres across the country that will be staffed with coaches from the German Football Federation to implement a coaching program for children to build a stronger base of candidates for our next U Dream TSG 1899Hoffenheim Program and to also train coaches across the country, to ensure the scientific delivery of football coaching at the grassroot level as well as raise the overall standards of football coaching in India."
With 17 students identified for the U Dream - TSG Hoffenheim Football program for the first year, the program is sure to attract a lot more candidates the following year in appreciation of a rare opportunity to train in a world-class football environment over an extended period of time.
"A nation's progress is often defined by its sporting prowress and its private - public partnerships such as this that ensure a grassroots development of sport - a need for the overhaul of sport in the country. We are grateful to the Haryana Football Association for their support," said Screwvala.