Nagpur : The Future Kabaddi Heroes (FKH) programme is a pioneering initiative by Mashal Sports in collaboration with AKFI, to scout for the next generation of Kabaddi heroes from across India. In its third year, FKHP received a very positive response with 217 aspirants participating in its two-day trials at New Ramdaspeth, Lendra Park, Nagpur.
The panelists K. Bhaskaran, who won gold medal in 1994 Asian Games, captained Indian Kabaddi Team 1995 SAF Games and coached Indian Kabaddi Team 2016 World Cup, Chajuram Goyat, who coached Indonesia Kabaddi Team in 2018 Asian Games and Ratanlal Thakur, coach of Himachal Pradesh Kabaddi Team had some tough decisions to make as Kabaddi enthusiasts from all over the state showcased their skills in a bid to make it through to the VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season VII auction pool.
The Future Kabaddi Heroes (FKH) programme has had its fair share of young stars such as Nitesh Kumar, Naveen Kumar, Rohit Gulia, Surender Singh among others, shortlisted for VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season V & VI auctions. These stars went on to deliver some record-breaking performances in the League.
Commenting on the talent witnessed on ground, K. Bhaskaran, said, “It was heartening to see so many budding and talented Kabaddi aspirants in Nagpur and we are delighted to be here for the 3rd edition of the Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme. This is a great platform for youngsters to showcase their talent and build their professional careers. The response during the trials in Nagpur have been promising and we hope to find the same level of participation and talent in subsequent cities of the programme.”
Jitender Thakur, Secretary, Vidharbha Kabaddi Association said – “Nagpur is a budding ground for kabaddi talent and the large scale of scale participation in the 2019 FKH trials by youngsters here is a testament to their passion for Kabaddi. The Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme paves the way for new talent to play the sport at the professional level and we are very pleased to be a part of this initiative.”
Initiated two years ago as a pathway to the auction pool in VIVO Pro Kabaddi, the Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme scouts promising young talent amongst thousands of aspirants from all over the country. Last year the scouting programme received an overwhelming response from over 3420 participants. Post a rigorous three-staged selection process, 85 players finally made it to the VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season VII auction pool.
The training phase follows a program structure developed in consultation with renowned coaches and experts from the field of sports. Along with professional coaches and specialist trainers, the training team also includes physiotherapists and nutritionists, to get the youngsters ready for the demanding requirements of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League.
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