SKF India announces team for Gothia Cup 2015
Mumbai, July 07 2015:
SKF India today announced the SKF Sports Academy team comprising 17 boys and 16 girls for participation in Gothia Cup 2015, the world’s largest youth football tournament scheduled in Gothenburg, Sweden from July 12 to July18. The team was selected from a pool of players in the age group 11 to 14 from SKF Sports Academy in Pune and Ahmedabad, as a part of the “Meet the World” tournament, a pre-event qualifying football tournament held in Pune.
For the first time since the SKF Sports Academy was launched, it will be represented by the girls’ football team at Gothia Cup 2015. The boys’ team includes players from the recently inaugurated SKF Sports Academy in Ahmedabad and were selected based on performance in the internal Meet the World tournament between the teams from Pune and Ahmedabad.
In order to improve the competitiveness and infuse higher level of professional playing, SKF India has tied up with Pune Football Club for a long term for training and development. Pune FC continues to provide dedicated coaching for the boys’ and girls’ teams and prepare them for professional tournaments.
The SKF Girls team will make their debut in Sweden this year
Shishir Joshipura, Managing Director and Country Head, SKF India, said, “We are proud to announce the girls’ team’s participation in Gothia Cup 2015 and I am extremely happy that we could realize this. We have seen this program create a positive impact among the children and we are now taking it up to the next level with our tie up with a professional football club. Training and Coaching under Pune Football Club has helped to overhaul the teams’ skill and development process and the teams have taken their game to another level.”
Shrikant Savangikar, Director, Business Excellence, Quality and Sustainability, said, “These developments are in line with of our community care philosophy of creating a meaningful difference to the recipients and reiterate our commitment to providing holistic growth opportunities to children from adjoining communities. We are extremely happy with the way this program is developing.”
Commenting on this occasion, Chirag Tanna, Head Operations, Pune Football Club said, “We are proud to partner with SKF India and this platform that endeavours to create growth and learning opportunities for children including an expression of talent at international level. We will continue our commitment to be a part of this program and bring our expertise to make a difference.”
Besides giving professional training at the SKF Sports Education Program, SKF India is also committed to other development initiatives. The children of the SKF Sports Education Program are provided with career guidance, counselling, aptitude test, personality development and study techniques. Additionally parenting and counselling workshops are held for parents /guardians of the children.