Srinagar, Sep 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Bank, AFC-A-Licence football coach, Hilal Rasool has been selected for the ambitious grassroots level development project of the Federation International de Football Association (FIFA).
 The FUTURO III Grassroots course, FIFA’s initiative on educating the football instructors at grassroots-level started at Bangalore on Monday.
 In the course, there are 18 participants selected from eight countries, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and host India. From J&K, J&K Bank coach, Hilal Rasool Parry is the only one to get selected.
 The course is being held under the supervision of FIFA instructor, Vincent Subramaniam and former National coach of Singapore and AFC instructor, Chan Hiu Ming from Hong Kong.
 Hilal along with Sajid Yousuf Dar is among the only two AFC-A Licence coaches that State has produced till date.
 “It is an honour to get selected for this prestigious international course. I am thankful to All India Football Federation (AIFF) for selecting me and I am also thankful to J&K Football Association and my employers JK Bank for giving me permission to attend the course,” Hilal told Greater Kashmir over phone from Bangalore.
 About the course, he said, “FUTURO III primarily focuses on educating the instructors in coaching, refereeing, administration and management and sports medicine. Grassroots course is a driving force and key element of the governing body’s football development efforts”.
 “The course would be held for four-days, followed by a football festival for the children–both boys and girls between the age group of 6 and 12 years,” he said.
 Hilal is a qualified coach with NIS diploma. He has been part of the J&K Bank Football Team as coach since 2004 and has played a major role in many wins such as Sikkim Gold Cup, II-Division National League, LG Cup and many other national and state level tournaments. He represented the state in two Santosh Trophy tournaments. Besides that he has already qualified AFC C, B and A-licence courses. Apart from at the highest level of coaching in State, he has been part of many youth development programmes and has trained many talented youngsters.
 About the development of football in Valley, he said, “The concept of developing grass root level talent has started in our part of the Country recently. In that direction JKFA and JK Bank has taken many initiatives. Though JKFA doesn’t have that much of infrastructure, but my employers JK Bank has launched a full-fledged football academy in both provinces of the State”.
 “These initiatives will bear fruits in couple of years when kids being trained in JK Bank academy will play for senior sides. I am confident that some of the kids receiving training in academy will reach up to the national and International level,” he said.
 About the state of football in J&K, he said, “At senior level, age is catching up with the players and due to various reasons there are not too many competitions being held in State either. Weather also plays spoilsport because of which grounds are not in condition to hold competitions. Once we get synthetic turfs all will change”.
 “In Valley there is a need of at least four synthetic football fields and after that it is possible to conduct the activities round the year,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST