Srinagar, June 24: The Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) launched the inaugural Kashmir leg of its U-19 school girls’ football tournament on Monday at the Green Valley Education Institute. This event marks a significant milestone in promoting girls’ football in the region, providing young female athletes with a vital platform to hone their skills and pursue their sporting ambitions.
The tournament will feature eight teams competing in 15 matches over the course of six days, with the aim of fostering a deeper engagement with football among young girls in Kashmir. The initiative is part of RFYS’s broader mission to revolutionize grassroots sports in India by offering structured competitive opportunities and supporting the development of young athletes.
Afshan Ashiq, a goalkeeper for Jammu and Kashmir’s women’s football team, emphasized the importance of such tournaments for the growth of the sport among girls. “These young athletes often don’t get enough game time and need a tournament like RFYS to grow the sport and increase participation among girls. By streamlining key facets of the game such as playing time, youth coach development, and providing grants, RFYS aims to create comprehensive development opportunities for the sport. We hope to capitalize on these dreams to build a formidable footballing future for young girls,” Ashiq said.
The introduction of the RFYS tournament in Kashmir follows the successful inaugural leg of the RFYS 2023-24 season held last November and December, where SRM Welkin HR Secondary School and the University of Kashmir emerged victorious in the U-15 and U-21 categories, respectively. This expansion into girls’ football underscores RFYS’s commitment to inclusive growth in the sport.
Since its inception in 2016, RFYS has had a transformative impact on grassroots and youth sports across India, engaging nearly nine million students. The initiative aims to provide crucial game time and development opportunities that are often limited for female athletes in the region. By fostering talent at the grassroots level, RFYS hopes to pave the way for young players to advance to professional leagues and potentially represent India internationally.
About RFYS
Launched in 2016, the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) seeks to transform grassroots sports in India by creating structured competition platforms for schools and colleges. The initiative has enabled young athletes to showcase their talents through various competitions held throughout the year. Notable alumni of RFYS include professional players who have gone on to sign contracts with ISL and I-League teams and represent India internationally. The tournament has garnered widespread support from coaches, players, educational institutions, football clubs, and state federations, recognizing its significant role in nurturing football talent and contributing to the sport’s growth at all levels.
