Roots Football has been working in grassroot football in Bangalore for
the last 13 years. Over the years we have produced players who have gone on
to represent state and country after graduating from Roots.
As football has evolved in the country, so have we at Roots. Our academy has
grown from 6 pupils /trainees in 2009, the year we took roots, to 1500
today. From 6 students coached by 2 trainers at a single centre we now have
25 trainers / coaches at 12 locations / schools across the city. Most
importantly, our students have flowered, taken wings, and been selected by
I-League and ISL teams, and also represented the Karnataka state and India
Youth teams.
Our efforts and small contribution to Indian football have been recognised
by the AIFF, and today we enjoy two-star certification.
But in our journey we have been confronted with one harsh truth: there are
very few opportunities for footballers in the age group of 18 to 22 – unless
one is in an I-League or ISL team.
It is this challenge that we want to take head on. We believe in a bottom-up
approach to take Karnataka football forward, and that the youth of our state
deserve a genuine shot at the big leagues. It is these two fundamental
beliefs that have egged us on to launch our next big move: form a team for
the Super Division.
Our team, the Roots Football Club, will participate in the Super Division
from this year but more importantly, it will provide a platform for the Big
Take-off for young footballers from our state. With 21 players at an average
age of 21.2 years and a few experienced footballers to guide them, the Roots
Football Club team will be the youngest outfit in the league. It is a unique
project and we are excited about it.
The team is coached by Mr Srikanth Rajan, an AFC “B Licence” coach, and his
assistant Mr Sunil Kurup, also with an AFC “B License”. Possession-based
football is our mantra and we look forward to entertaining the crowds with
our brand of play in the upcoming months.
We are looking at building a sustainable club culture and our long-term
goals will always put the player first. Player growth will involve trying to
loan out players during our offseason to teams in other leagues. This will
help our trainees gain exposure, which only comes from playing competitive
matches.
Roots Academy is also proud to announce the progress made in
promoting women’s soccer. Our women’s programme started two years ago, and
it is great satisfaction we note that our team has qualified for the Women’s
Super-Division this season. We look forward to greater success for our girls
and we are sure, with your patronage and good wishes, they will achieve it.
The Women’s team will be coached by Arokianath Robin who’s a AFC B Licence
certificate holder.
