Pune: 15 States ensure record participation for SNBP All-India Hockey
Pune, 27th September 2022: For the first time since inception, the 6th SNBP All-India Hockey Tournament (Boys’ Under-16) will witness a record participation from 15 states.
Having concentrated on the promotion of grassroot hockey ever since 2016, the S.E Society’s SNBP Group of Institutes’ in their silver jubilee year have taken a step further to make the tournament bigger and better by further increasing the total prize money.
This year, a whopping Rs. 3.80 lakh have been earmarked for the two tournaments that run simultaneously – the All India Boys’ and the 4th State-level Women’s Hockey Tournament. The substantial increase of prize money is in the women’s tournament wherein Rs. 55,000 has been added to make up a total of Rs. 1.55 lakh. The winner will receive Rs. 75,000, runners-up Rs 50,000 and third place Rs. 30,000.
The boys’ tournament begins at the Shiv Chhatrapathi Sports Complex, Balewadi on Friday, 30th September with the final set for 7th October. Likewise, the women’s event begins on 4th October and will be played at the Dr. Dashrat Bhosale Hockey Ground, Chikhli-Moshi.
For the record, the tournament holds the status of being the only prize-money hockey tournament conducted for Under-16s and is a categorized Hockey India event.
This year, the Olympian Vivek Singh Academy, Varanasi will be the team to look out for apart from Bishnupur Hockey, Manipur. The Varanasi team, earlier this year, finished runners up in the 2nd Hockey India Sub Junior Men Academy National Championship 2022, at Gumanhera, New Delhi. Similarly, the Imphal-based team will not only make its debut, but will become the first North-East team to feature in the tournament.
Dr. Vrishali Bhosale, Organizing Chairman & President SNBP Group, said; “Our quest to support grassroot hockey remains the hallmark of our Group. Moreover, this being our silver anniversary we felt that the women’s tournament should attain near-equality with regard to their prize money and hence we unanimously decided to up the amount. Woman equality is what we strongly support and what best way than to use the hockey platform to make a start. It’s heartening to see that the tournament is becoming an eagerly looked forward to event by teams across the country.”
SNBP’s showcase event – the 6th All-India Boys Under-16 will feature 24 teams from across India and will follow a league-cum-knockout format. Teams will be divided into 8 pools of 3 teams each which will lead to the pool topper advancing to the quarterfinals.
In the league stage each team will play two matches to decide the pool topper. The pool winners will then contest the knockout quarterfinals.
The semi-finals are scheduled for 5th October 14 and the final and play-off matches on 7th October.
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.
This edition the boy’s teams have been drawn from 15 States which include Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh (North), Rajasthan, Maharashtra (West); Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka (South) and Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand (East)
Host’s SNBP will be represented by SNBP Academy and will remain the only Pune entry in the championship.
The winners stand to be richer by Rs. 1,00,000 (1 lakh), while the runners-up would gain Rs. 75,000. The third-place finisher will receive Rs. 50,000.
Meanwhile, the 4th SNBP State-Level Women Hockey Tournament will feature eight district teams from Maharashtra and will be played on a knockout basis.
The teams for the women segment are Nashik Hockey Academy, Jalgaon Hockey Academy, Aurangabad Kolhapur, Satara, SNBP Academy (Pune), Krida Prabodhini, Pune, Rovers Academy, Pune
Firoz Shaikh, Tournament Convenor explained, “The field is strong with a mix of Academy and school talent together and likewise some past teams who have been part of the top-3 finishers. In all 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 extended 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)
