\r\nYet in another effort to elevate the sportsmanship among the younger generation of Leh district, J&K State Sports Council initiated the first ever professional football academy on November 4 at NDS ground Leh.\r\n

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\r\nDr. Sonam Dawa, CEC inaugurated the professional football academy.\r\n

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\r\nThe football academy is an initiative of Sports Council Leh to strengthen the foundation of football sport among the children under 13-15 age in Leh district. The players are going to groom under the panel of coach who works with State Football Association. \r\n

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\r\nCongratulating the J&K Sports Council for opening Football Academy in Leh, Dr. Sonam Dawa, CEC said, “With the opening of Football Academy in Leh the football sport which used to be the most popular game of Ladakh will be revived.”\r\n

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\r\nHe further said, “Youths of Ladakh have lots of potential in every sport be it cricket, ice hockey, football etc but there is a need for a platform to showcase and improve them further.  We hope that the academy will help in promoting and strengthening their skill.”\r\n

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\r\nHe also congratulated the first women cricket team who has reached in a quarter-final in the cricket tournament recently held in Kashmir.\r\n

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\r\nGyal Wangyal, Member of State Sports Council, Leh said, “In the past, football was the most famous game in Ladakh but with time the interest of football vanished.Today with this football academy, the revolution of football has again revived. It is for the first time that we are going to get proper training from the very young age".\r\n

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\r\nHe requested Manjit Yusup Dhar and Sajid Dhar, an official of J&K Sports Council to make the office of Sports Council Leh functional.\r\n

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\r\nTsering Tsomo, Football Coach said, “Football Academy is a project of State Sports Council where children will learn the basic things about football and train them further to participate in the tournament at district, divisional, state and national levels. The children will get three hours of training session thrice in a week  any interested children can join.”\r\n

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\r\nTalking about the scope she further said, “In Leh, due to the progressive nature of society, women are getting a good scope in the sport as compared to other states of India. So parents must send their child to develop their skills in the sport.”\r\n

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\r\n The newly opened Academy will train a total of 160 registered players in Leh free of cost. They informed that the Football Academy will be an exemplary model which will be followed by wushu, ice hockey, horse polo etc. \r\n

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