Loyola’s Fifa-standard pitch puts city football on a new turf

PUNE Loyola High School added a fresh chapter to its sporting history with a Fifa-standard natural grass football pitch, now ready for play.

PUNE Loyola High School added a fresh chapter to its sporting history with a Fifa-standard natural grass football pitch, now ready for play.

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Backed by former-principal Fr.Nelton Thomas and industrialist Atul Kirloskar, chairman of an eight-man Loyola Sport Vision (LSV) committee, the four-inch sand-based pitch, backed with an auto popup irrigation system and a slit-drain drainage system, is a first-of-its-kind at any school in the city.

Says Kirloskar, “it’s a dream to give back to the kids of today. The overall idea was to give the best of facilities and opportunities to help students excel in the field of sports.”

Three India internationals – India captain Sunil Chhetri, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and rising star Udanta Singh – all Bengaluru FC teammates – inaugurated the pitch last week.