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Pune, 2nd October 2024: Having made a mark in the city as the only prize-money hockey tournament for Under-16s and being a ‘categorized’ Hockey India event, the 8th All-India Hockey Tournament (Boys’ Under-16) is a tournament that most grass root teams look forward to.
This edition, scheduled from Monday, 7th October, has received entries from 14 states and makes up a 24-team field set to fight for top honours at the ‘turf’ situated at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge-Balewadi.
Having purely concentrated on the “promotion of grassroot hockey” since 2016, the S.E Society’s SNBP Group of Institutes’ have continued to offer the same total prize money offered in the last edition.
Apart from the all -India boy’s tournament, eight women’s teams will line up for the 5th SNBP Women’s meet as a committed approach to hand both sexes equal rights.
For the record, a whopping Rs. 3.80 lakh has been earmarked for the two tournaments that run simultaneously, the women’s begin on 10th September and will be played at the Dr. Dashrat Bhosale Hockey Ground, Chikhli-Moshi.
The boys will receive Rs. 1.0 lakh, the runners-up Rs. 50,000 and third place Rs. 30,000, whereas the girls have Rs. 75,000 earmarked for the winners, Rs. 50000 for the runners-up and Rs. 30,000 to the third placed finisher.
The inaugural match will be played in Pool-C with Olympian Bhaskaran Hockey Academy Kolkata Warriors taking on Hockey Nashik and followed by 5 matches.
The 24-team boys’ event has eight pools and will play a league basis for top honours. The top team from each pool will make quarterfinals (knockout stage). The semi-finals have been slated for 12th October, while the final for 13th October.
In the league stage, each team will play two matches to decide the pool topper. The pool winners contest the knockout (quarterfinals).
Dr. Vrishali Bhosale, Organizing Chairman & President SNBP Group, said; “Grassroot hockey continues to remain the mission of our Group. Women’s hockey has an equal right in our promotion values. Our Group feels strongly about the same and importantly use sport as a platform to empower their talent. It’s glad to realise the tournament is being looked forward to by teams across the country.”
For the record, the tournament is the only tournament to be conducted for Under-16s at an all-India level in the State and city.
For this edition the boy’s teams are from; Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab (North), Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka (South), Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa (East), Maharashtra, Rajasthan (West).
Host’s SNBP Academy is the only Pune entry, with other entries coming in from Nashik and Mumbai respectively.
Meanwhile, the 5th SNBP All-India Women Hockey Tournament will feature eight teams from Maharashtra and will be played on a knockout basis.
Firoz Shaikh, Tournament Convenor explained, “A mix of Academy and school talent together and likewise some past teams who have been part of the top-3 finishers. Totally, 34 matches, which include 480 players will be seen in action apart from 25 technical officials from Hockey India involved in the tournament. On behalf of SNBP we are thankful to both Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey India for the support to make this tournament a success over the years.”
The Championship is being conducted under the aegis of both Hockey India and Hockey Maharashtra.
PAST WINNERS
2016: MP Academy (Winner); Saheed Bishan Singh School, Delhi (Runners Up), Krida Prabodhini (Third Place)
2017: MP Academy (Winner); Krida Prabodhini (Runners Up); Hockey Coorg (Third Place)
2018: Krida Prabodhini (Winner); MP Academy (Runners Up); Bhiwani Jai Bharat Academy, Haryana (Third Place)
2019: MP Hockey Academy (Winner); Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Runners Up); SAIL Hockey Academy (Third Place)
2020: Not Held – Covid-19
2021: SAIL Hockey Academy, Odisha (Winner); HAR Hockey Academy, Sonepat (Runners Up); SNBP Academy, Pune (Third Place)
2022: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Winner), Dhyanchand Academy (Runners Up), Anwar Hockey Society (Third Place), SNBP Academy, Pune
2023: Army Boys Sports Company (ABSC) (Winner), Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Runners Up), Round Glass Academy (Third Place).
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