Football ground with artificial turf inaugurated

, DEC 3:

College, school football teams had the first feel of the new artificial turf laid at the football ground, which became operational adjoining Nehru Maidan in the central part of Mangaluru on Wednesday.

This ground has for long been used by many sports enthusiasts for playing football, handball and for cricket. Every year, the Dakshina Kannada Football Association has been holding Independence Cup Football tournament at this ground.

The long-pending demand of the association was accepted by the district administration. The Mangaluru Smart City Limited has laid artificial turf at the football ground. The ground has been fenced. Interlock tiles have been laid along the fence.

District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Speaker U.T. Khader inaugurated the new-look football ground on Wednesday.

Recalling his childhood days, Mr. Khader said he has seen good players namely Merchent and James play football in this ground, which continues to attract good crowd. The new-look football ground is an addition to the new swimming pool, badminton court and kabaddi courts that have already come up. “I hope these new facilities will lead to discovery of new national and international sportspersons from the region,” Mr. Khader said.

Mr. Rao assured of grants from the government for floodlights, new pavilion and other infrastructure facilities at the football ground. To inaugurate the ground, Mr. Khader took the penalty kick and Mr. Rao defended it as a goal keeper.

Friendly matches

A host of friendly football matches were played among the college and school football teams on the first day. The inaugural match was between the Yenepoya Deemed to be University and St. Aloysius Deemed to be University teams and the former team won by margin of 1-0.

Director of Physical Education, Yenepoya University, Sujith K.V., who is also associated with the football club FC Mangalore, said with artificial turf, more professional football tournaments can be held and this will drastically improving competitiveness and ranking of players from the region. The Yeneopoya University has a natural and two artificial turf football grounds, he said.

Physical Education Director of St Aloysius University Arun D’Souza said new-look football ground will be an additional venue for players of the institution to hone football skills.

D.M. Aslam, president of District Football Association, said arrangements will be made by the association to maintain the artificial turf. Funds have been sought for floodlights, repair of pavilion and improvement of other facilities at the ground. With artificial turf, the long pending demand of footballers in the region has been met, he said.