Gyalshing: Lokendra Football Academy (LFA), based in Yangtey, Gyalshing, is set to represent Sikkim at the Shillong International Youth Football Tournament to be held from January 12 to 17 at Naugram Football Ground, Shillong. The academy team will depart on Friday.
Established in 2019, Lokendra Football Academy has been working towards the upliftment of grassroots football, particularly among children from rural and remote areas of West Sikkim. The team participating in the Shillong event are Under-15 category featuring teams from across the region, including players from Bhaichung Bhutia Football Academy.
Soreng District football coach from the State Sports Department, Michael Lepcha, said that the invitation from the Shillong International Youth Club prompted them to give village players an opportunity at a competitive platform. “Trials were conducted on November 22 and 23 at Sombaria Ground, followed by a one-month winter residential camp. This tournament will be very beneficial for the players in terms of exposure,” he said.
A total of 104 players from different age categories participated in the trials. From them, 50 players were shortlisted, and finally 18 players were selected to form the team. Most of the selected players are from rural areas, with nine players coming from Yangtey village under the Daramdin constituency.
LFA owner Lokendra Gurung said the academy was born out of a long-cherished dream. “As a player, I could not contribute much, though I was associated with Namchi Sports Academy. Coach Michael Lepcha was my senior, and while he joined the Sports Department, I decided to work independently and started this academy in 2019,” he said.
He added that the objective of LFA has always been grassroots development. “When our Chief Minister was the Sports Minister, he supported me, and even now, as Chief Minister, he continues to support the academy for football upliftment,” Gurung said. He noted that several players from LFA have already been shortlisted at the national level, and some have been selected in the Under-17 category in Sikkim.
“This tournament in Shillong is about exposure. We want these boys to move on to bigger clubs and better academies for their growth. This is our first registered team, and this is just the beginning. From many teams, only 16 will qualify for the next round,” he added,.
Coach Michael Lepcha said preparations have been carried out in a phased manner. “At present, we have around 50 students. Many of them come from remote areas and earlier did not even have access to mobile phones, which made communication difficult. That is why we organized a one-month residential camp and selected 18 disciplined and talented players,” he said.
He highlighted that village players often display strong determination and sincerity. “There is a difference between urban and rural players, but village boys are extremely focused. The atmosphere during training camps is very serious, and whatever effort we have put in will reflect in their performance at Shillong,” Lepcha said.
He also said that football activities in the district have been progressing steadily, with a strong focus on school-level football since 2022. Under-17 teams have performed well in recent years, and competitions in various under-age categories are continuing this year as well.
The ongoing winter camp, conducted with the support of Sports and Youth Affairs Department as part of its annual calendar, has seen around 116 players participating.
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Referring to Sikkim’s football history, Lepcha noted that government initiatives began much earlier, producing national level players like Sanju Pradhan and Robin Gurung. However, he emphasized that exposure remains the biggest requirement for young players.
“Private academies are now playing a major role in providing exposure, which is sometimes difficult to achieve through government systems alone. Players and coaches train with full dedication, but without proper grounds and regular match opportunities, it becomes very difficult to reach higher levels,” he concluded.
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