Premsingh ready for the big strike

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If it were not for football and, Sports and Education Promotion Trust (SEPT), M. Premsingh Boharah, whose parents are from Nepal, would not have been studying at Farook Higher Secondary School in Kozhikode.

The class IX student of the school has been sponsored by SEPT for the past six years.

“He was handpicked by SEPT six years ago. As he was from a financially weak family, we started to support him for his studies and training. He has proved his talent by playing for the state U-13 team,” said C. Sethumadhavan, the secretary of SEPT.

“I have decided to pursue football as my career. I am getting great support from SEPT training camps and Farook School, from where a lot of players had been selected for national and state teams,” he said. To learn the basics of football, he is staying at the school hostel.

The young prodigy has also visited Malaysia, Pune and Jharkhand as part of SEPT team to participate in various tournaments. “It was a great experience for me to play outside the State. The tournaments we played outside, we were able to make a mark and had received several accolades. These training initiatives by SEPT helped me play my best for the district and State teams,” he said.

Football was a passion for Premsingh from childhood. “He had a tough time before joining SEPT. He was cleaning buses and delivering newspapers while studying. He was noticed in one of our camps and we decided to sponsor his studies,” said Sethumadhavan.

“There is a lot of young talent in the State and we are trying to select the best when they are young and groom. As a result, we are able to contribute several players to national and state teams,” said he said.

With the support he is getting from his coaches and fellow students, Premsingh has decided to take up football as a career. “Football has changed my life dramatically. Now I cannot live without it,” said Premsingh, who is currently playing in the midfield position.

He credits his onfield success mostly to his schoolmates.

“I am also part of the school team and my teammates are very helpful. Two of them are part of the Indian U-15 side and they are always willing to impart the training to help us achieve further in our careers.” he says.