MP’s Jagran Lakecity University to launch talent programme for young footballers

Jagran Lakecity University has announced the launch of a talent development programme that will enable talented football players, schools and clubs in central India to optimise their potential, structures, establish sustainable and long-term scouting schemes and, ultimately, reduce the gap at the top of the game.

Central India has been making giant strides in sports with hockey, cricket, athletics, adventure sports leading excellence and producing national and international level athletes. Jagran Lakecity University, realising the passion and potential of football in Central India, has embarked through its ‘Elite Athlete Development Programme’, to support the football ecosystem in the state in particular and Central India in general.

There is no football senior team club in Madhya Pradesh, which is part of I-League or ISL and to kickstart this initiative, Jagran Lakecity University has become the principal sponsor of Rajasthan United Football Club, an Indian professional football which plays in national level I-League. The university is their home turf and are currently training there before they embark on their I-League campaign in March 2022 in Kolkata. The team has some exciting national and international players on their team list.

JLU has identified five areas that need to be addressed to build a robust football ecosystem in central India:

1. Development of home-grown coach-educators through regional coach-educator courses.
2. Development of technical directors through courses and workshops.
3. Data and information on the market, the various ecosystem stakeholders and their performance.
4. Sports Business Management and environment education.
5. Training of students and professionals on skills, opportunities and nutrition.

The initiative and sponsorship of Rajasthan United Football Club will see local players, students, professionals and parents gain access to JLU’s coach and player development programmes, including the RUFC club’s curriculum, resource library and the Coach Education webinar series.

“Our endeavour is to promote and encourage football in central India and to trigger this passion and purpose, we decided to bring RUFC to Madhya Pradesh. We are launching the Elite Athlete Development Programme to ensure that every football talent gets a chance. This goal is very ambitious but we are highly motivated and focused,” said Abhishek Mohan Gupta, pro-chancellor, Jagran Lakecity University, while addressing the media on February 25, 2022.

The initiatives being taken will inspire and provide an ideal platform to boys and girls from the state to progress to professional football, and also the national teams. Developing talent is based on three key things: finding the talent, creating an environment in which the footballer can flourish and, most importantly, coaching, Gupta further said.

JLU will be hosting the 4th JLU Football Leagues later this year. This is one of the biggest private universities football leagues and over the years has grown to become a platform of young footballing talent.

The Spanish coach of RUFC, Fransesc Bonet Caruncho said, “We need more youth competitions to identify talent, offer them a pathway and develop coaching.”