Black Panthers of Nirvana Country in Gurgaon look to gain valuable experience at HT GIFA

Football team ‘Black Panthers’ of Nirvana Country in Sector 50 are set to showcase their skills at the new season of Hindustan Times Great Indian Football Action (HT GIFA).

Football team ‘Black Panthers’ of Nirvana Country in Sector 50 are set to showcase their skills at the new season of Hindustan Times Great Indian Football Action (HT GIFA).

The eight members of Black Panthers are aged between 12 and 13, and are school friends. Four of them have represented another team last year. (Abhinav Saha/HT Photo)

The team members are excited about getting a chance to perform at a platform that is well-known across the Delhi-NCR. They are looking forward to the great learning experience on offer at GIFA.

HT GIFA — an ultimate soccer league for Gurgaon and Delhi — has become a calender event for football lovers and residents, who have an opportunity to represent their condominiums and societies.

The eight members of Black Panthers are enthusiastic footballers in the age group of 12 to 13 years. Schoolmates and childhood friends, the team members said they have always been passionate about the beautiful game. Four of the players have represented another team in last season’s HT GIFA.

Captain of Black Panthers, 13-year-old Shaurya Babbar, said, “It is a great opportunity for us. We have been playing as a team for the last one year and are hoping to win this time. The entire team meets at least thrice a week to practise positioning, improve teamwork and learn new skills.”

Twelve-year-old Vivaan Sethi said, “I am very excited about the tournament. My friends have played the sport and they had a wonderful experience at GIFA. We are trying to give our best. Let’s see how the other teams are.”

The team members said they are pushing their limits to improve their skills.

The team has also decided the colour of their jersey.

“I think the colour of our jersey will be black and go with the team’s name - Black Panthers. We are thankful to HT for giving us a tournament of football in this cricket crazy country,” 13-year-old Nikhil Arya said.

Not just the youngsters, but their parents are equally thrilled about the tournament. They said HT GIFA is giving children a platform to invest their time and energy in outdoor sports instead of browsing the internet.

Gunjan Babbar, mother of Shaurya Babbar, said, “These days, children are just busy on the mobile phone or computer. The event has again created interest about outdoor sports in them. Now, until the event is over, kids will only be discussing GIFA.”