Gurgaon: For jr team of Uniworld Gardens, playing GIFA is a confidence boost

For Uniworld Warriors, the junior team of Uniworld Gardens in Sector 47, participating in Hindustan Times Great Indian Football Action (HT GIFA) is a huge confidence boost. The enthusiastic 10-member team is practising every day to hone their skills

For Uniworld Warriors, the junior team of Uniworld Gardens in Sector 47, participating in Hindustan Times Great Indian Football Action (HT GIFA) is a huge confidence boost.

The enthusiastic 10-member team practises every day to hone their skills. (Abhinav Saha/HT Photo)

HT GIFA, an ultimate soccer league for the residents of Gurgaon, has become the dream tournament for football lovers and residents who now have an opportunity to play for their respective condominiums and areas and make them proud.

The enthusiastic 10-member team is practising every day to hone their skills and make their presence felt in the mega event. All team members are aged between 10 and 13.

“We are very excited. The team has been practising a lot. We all are looking forward to play in the mega tournament. We hope that our passion and dedication will be visible on the big platform,” said Shaurya Sighadia, the 13-year-old captain of the team.

Rusheel Sharma, an 11-year-old player of the team, said, “The sport is not about one person. It is about team efforts. We are working hard to brush our skills as individual players as well as a team. I think the event has brought us together and we have grown as sportspersons.”

Fans of the Portuguese footballer Cristinao Ronaldo, the team members will play the tournament in red jerseys.

The team, a mixed bag of talents, is all geared up to shoot goals for their condominium.

“I have played cricket since childhood and have been a fan of the sport. But after HT GIFA made a comeback, I decided to try the sport. Now, both cricket and football are at an equal level for me,” said Satvik Narayan, another player of the team.

Even parents of the players are equally enthusiastic about the event. They said their children are learning not just teamwork and football skills while practising for the tournament but are also becoming more responsible and mature.

Geetanjali Sighadia, mother of Shaurya Sighadia, said, “I always wanted my child to pay equal attention to both education and extracurricular activities. The child, who earlier used to come home and do his homework, has now started finishing all assignments in the school so that he gets more time to practise.”

“It feels good to see so much dedication in the little ones,” said Nimisha Narayan, mother of Satvik Narayan.