MSSA forced to face ground realities

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Mumbai: Yet another school year has begun and it will be yet another challenge for the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA), as a new chapter in interschool sports begins to unfold, come July 15.

There are ground realities the organisers must face — finding ground space will be the MSSA’s biggest issue, as students from over 350 schools will be in action from July to February, going by this year’s MSSA football schedule.

Many schools have run out of playgrounds on their premises and the few who have maintained this prized possession, for reasons best known to them, are against helping MSSA. The concrete jungle which passes off for a city has been devouring playing grounds.

The issue of open spaces has been a major issue for years now. Each academic year throws up budding athletes and they want to play and compete but schools are failing them by running out of playing spaces.

Development is getting in the way of development of these young sportsmen. Azad Maidan is no longer all that free. The Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-3 underground corridor for Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, construction has swallowed a major portion of the maidan, which was a venerated sports venue for decades.

“This is a major issue and, with a major portion of the Azad Maidan occupied for Metro construction, we are handicapped but we still get the matches,” said the official.

Spread over 220 days, this annual sports MSSA event attracts over 350 schools from Mumbai for all the Olympic events, and not to forget cricket — the Harris and Giles Shield — a major draw with the most entries. In all, there will be over a lakh of school kids taking part in different events every academic year, and this year is no different. Football, hockey, and basketball are other favourites.

“We are kickstarting this year’s Under-16 events for boys of the senior and fourth divisions at two different venues — at St Xavier’s Parel and St Francis the Assisi, Borivli,” an MSSA official told The Free Press Journal on Wednesday.

There are over 2,000 (football) matches played year after year, with the number of entries rising each year. In particular, it is the Under-8 and 10 groups wherein the numbers are on the rise and every year, there are over 20 new schools which make their debut, says the MSSA. Thanks to Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) who marshal the events.

Football is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inter-school sports events. All the Olympic events come under the MSSA banner and every year, they religiously organise these, braving criticism from certain quarters.