The grassroots football program for kids ages 4 to 18 has officially begun at Salt Lake GD Ground in Kolkata, according to the United Kolkata Sports Club (UKSC) Academy. The program intends to establish UKSC Academy as one of Kolkata’s most forward-thinking and future-ready youth football institutions. It is designed as a curriculum-based, age-appropriate, professionally administered training ecosystem.

Children, parents, dignitaries, football players, and members of the media attended the launch, which was celebrated as a great football festival. Additionally, visitors participated in a high-tea conversation that provided a chance to interact with the young players, coaches, and leadership of the academy.

The academy launch was graced by eminent guests like Shri Satyam Choudhury, Managing Director, Techno India Group, Mr. Debdut Roy Choudhury, Director, Techno India Group, and Smt. Krishna Chakraborty, Mayor, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Mr. Babul Supriyo, Cabinet Minister, Govt. of West Bengal holding the portfolios for the department of Information, Technology and Electronics and the Dept. of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction, Mr. Sabyasachi Dutta, Chairperson, Bidhannagar Corporation, Mr. Ranjan Poddar, Former Borough Chairperson of Borough V, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and Mr. Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India.

Three trophies—the Kanyashree Cup Premier B Champions Trophy, the Indian Football Association West Bengal (I.F.A.), and the IFA Club Futsal Championship 2025 Runners Up—were also given to the coaches by the dignitaries on stage during the launch.

A comprehensive growth framework that combines technical training, tactical learning, physical conditioning, discipline, and character development at the initiative’s core. Technical, tactical, physical, mental, and social skills are all included in the curriculum’s five-corner development model, which guarantees that kids practice in a systematic, age-appropriate manner to meet the demands of modern football.

Additionally, UKSC Academy wants to make it easier for gifted athletes to participate in national and international competitions, which will eventually lead to opportunities for them to graduate into our top youth and senior teams.

AFC and AIFF-licensed coaches, including former professional football players, a fixed 1:15 coach-to-player ratio for individualized attention, age-specific batches with a modern curriculum, regular participation in local leagues and tournaments, and two to three sessions per week for consistent development are all part of the grassroots program led by Yan Law, one of India’s youngest AFC Pro Licence coaches and other licensed coaches. Quarterly assessments that include feedback sessions and report cards, Interactions between players and UKSC first-team athletes with an emphasis on mental conditioning, discipline, and nutrition, pitches that are kid-friendly, safe, and appropriate for all age groups are also included.

UKSC Academy hopes to establish decentralized football hubs throughout Bengal by utilizing Techno India Group’s extensive network of schools, colleges, clinics, and community centers. These will function as satellite locations for community involvement, talent identification, and training.

With plans to expand to Malda, Durgapur, Falakata, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, and other districts, UKSC Academy has already operationalized its first center in Siliguri. With more than 300 students spread across six campuses, the academy is expanding quickly. The academy’s dedication to gender-inclusive sports development is further demonstrated by the construction of a groundbreaking girls’ residential football program in Siliguri.

The recently established UKSC Academy grassroots program, which aims to produce not just talented football players but also self-assured, disciplined young citizens, is set to become one of East India’s most influential youth sports movements thanks to its structured ideology, professional coaching, and institutional support.

Priyanka Dutta