St. Mary’s Sundernagar Clinches Title at Grand ‘Grassroots Football Day’ Event in Mandi.
Shimla:
In celebration of World Football Day and with the support of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a grand one-day ‘Grassroots Football Day’ was organized at The Phoenix School, Vihna, Mandi. The event was hosted by Triumph FC Mandi in association with The Phoenix School and aimed to promote futsal and football at the grassroots level among school children.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mandi, Rohit Rathour, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The grand finale match witnessed the presence of Deputy Commissioner Mandi, Apoorv Devgan, as the Chief Guest, who congratulated the organizers and emphasized the importance of such events in nurturing young sporting talent.
Triumph FC Mandi President Sushant Sharma informed that the event was designed to raise awareness about futsal—a fast-paced variant of football—and educate young players about its rules and benefits through an engaging workshop. The program also focused on encouraging teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship through structured coaching and motivation sessions.
Several schools from the region participated in the tournament. The results of the matches were as follows:
- Takshila School defeated Phoenix School B by 2-1.
- St. Mary’s School Sundernagar won against GSS (Boys) Mandi by 3-0.
- Anglo Sanskrit School Mandi beat Phoenix School A by 2-1.
- St. Mary’s School edged out Takshila School with a 1-0 victory.
- GSS (Boys) Mandi triumphed over Phoenix School B by 2-0.
- DAV Mandi defeated Anglo Sanskrit School with a close 3-2 win.
- GSS (Boys) Mandi overpowered Takshila School with a dominant 6-1 performance.
- Phoenix School A narrowly beat DAV Mandi by 1-0.
- St. Mary’s Sundernagar routed Phoenix School B by 6-0.
Final Match & Closing Ceremony:
The final was a thrilling contest between St. Mary’s Sundernagar and Phoenix School A. In front of an enthusiastic audience and DC Apoorv Devgan, St. Mary’s showcased exceptional skill and coordination, securing a 3-1 victory and emerging as the tournament champions.
Arnav from St. Mary’s Sundernagar was awarded the Top Scorer of the tournament, while Arnav from Phoenix School was recognized as the Emerging Player for his outstanding performance and potential.
DC Apoorv Devgan praised the organizers and said, “Such events are crucial for spotting budding talent and encouraging youth participation in sports. We hope to see more initiatives like this in the future.”
The ‘Grassroots Football Day’ proved to be more than just a sporting event—it was a celebration of youth energy, community spirit, and the growing culture of football in Himachal Pradesh.
