Benaulim young footballers feel the pain as centre closed down in 2020
MARGAO
There are 35 Goa Football Development Council centres currently operating all over Goa and have employed close to 80 coaches and training children of various age groups. But one village which is missing on the list is Benaulim.
The centre in the coastal village, known for its passion for football and from which village the current India footballer Brandon Fernandes comes from, has no centre since 2020.
“The centre closed down in 2020 for non-availability of ground,” said Antonio Mascarenahas, a passionate football promoter from Benaulim.
GFDC was formed by the former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the year 2012 after declaring football as a state sport in the same year.
With the GFDC Benaulim centre closing down Antonio, a former athlete, has been going about his mission of promoting football through his club, the Ave Maria Athletic and football Club, where he trains children in football and athletics.
Incidentally, Antonio’s wife Liberta Mascarenhas was nominated as one of the members of the GFDC council a few years back and completed her term.
The Benaulim Centre of GFDC was functioning from Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) ground situated close to Holy Trinity Church and Vaddem Beach Benaulim.
Incidentally with the Benaulim centre closing down there are no GFDC in the coastal villages of Cavelossim, Carmona, Varca, Orlim, Colva and Betalbatim, Majorda, Utorda, Velsao, Cansaulim.
The only one located close to Benaulim is in Seraulim village, while another hot bed of football talent, Nuvem and Verna does not have one but Cortalim has one.
Currently the GFDC does not have a chairman after the tenure of former India captain Brahmanand Shanwalkar came to an end. The Goa government has not appointed any chairman in his post and Dr Geeta Nagvenkar, Executive Director of Sports Authority of Goa is the Member Secretary of GFDC.
The GFDC had opened a Residential Academy in South Goa prior to the Covid-19 epidemic but the centre closed down post Covid-19 has not been open since then.
The residential academy consisted of the cream of players from the centres and had dedicated coaches and other support staff attached to it.
Dr Geeta Nagvenkar said plans are afoot to restart the residential academy in the current academic year but that looks highly unlikely.
“Plans are to restart the Residential Academy in the Academic Year 2024-25,” she said in response to a question.
“There is no Residential Academy now and one which existed was discontinued due to Covid-19 pandemic,” she added.
The GFDC centres are located in Aldona, Ambelim, Amone, Arambol, Collem, Corlim, Cuncolim, Devabhag, Dabal, Dona Paula, Khandepar, Mandrem, Marcel, Mayem, Paroda, Poira, Sanquelim, Savoi Verem, Shiroda, Siolim, Succoro, Uguem, Vagator, Valpoi, Zarme, Cortalim, Divar, Fatorda, Seraulim, Quepem, Maina Curtorim, Davorlim, Navelim, Tuem, Sao Jose De Areal and Mayem.
