Grassroots for billion
AIFF started a new program on MAY 15, 2024, for the cubs of India who will grow up like tigers one day, which means the new youth. BLUE CUBS program under AIFF is for ages 4 – 12 who are at their grassroots level of learning, playing, and exploring. They will be professional in football by the time they grow up. They will also learn more skills like teamwork, critical and quick thinking, leadership, and more skills. The CUBS stands for Connect Unleash Build Support, which clearly says what Blue Cubs do.
A few years back, When we used to say any sports category name in India, then the number of participants was less because Indian parents never used to appreciate sports. The reason is, at their age, they needed more exposure or knowledge or opportunity to play any kind of sports, for them, it was a waste of time! This mentality is still the same in many houses but the situation isn’t. Time has passed, and now we can play, find our interest in sports, the exposure given by educational institutes, and many more.
The first initiative was taken by AIFF (All India Football Federation) who understood the value of FOOTBALL in people’s lives and started this federation for the love of football, providing equal opportunity to everyone, maximum exposure, proper infrastructure, etc.
We grow when you grow
Reaching every region, city, and state nationwide to give every child an opportunity to play football and give them a bigger exposure to showcase their unexplored talents. The question arrives how do the Blue Cubs of AIFF do it? And the answer is through CONNECTING with nationwide schools and other educational institutes so that students get as many as possible exposers and can participate in it. They Connect to other organizations to get enough infrastructure, fields, equipment, fine coaches, participants, and many other things. Just to provide everything to Unleash and Build a better version of the young players.
This program tries to provide everything from different types of pitches to clean bathrooms to Support them in growing healthier and smarter. In short, they foster every child to become the best version of themselves while they play football. And reach the national teams and make the nation proud, till the time young players reach their teenage age, they will be ready to play in Youth Leagues and higher levels.
- OBJECTIVE –
- Ground root structure – This program under AIFF is only for the age of 4 to 12 years, which is the ground root age. This whole program is divided into different formats according to age groups. This game is designed to understand the technical aspect of how a football match works while they enjoy playing. For the ages of 4 years to 6 years old, there is a 2v2 format and a 3v3 format where both opponents have equal players on each side. This would help them to understand how teamwork is important to win a game. Similarly, for 7 to 9 years, it is a 5v5 format where both sides have 5 players each, by this they will learn a new critical thinking skill. And for 10 to 12 years, it’s 7v7; by now, they are ready to jump in youth leagues.
- Participation growth – Youth Nation League and FIFA, this program under AIFF has already collaborated with these big games where they focus on giving the best to their participants. This is why they partner with the school to find talented participants. They select the best participants in their ELITE BLUE CUBS program to polish them more so that they can play Youth Leagues. That is why they select from the age group of 9 to 12 years.
- Equal opportunity – Underestimating little girls would be wrong because, just like a boy, a girl wants to play football too, but they do not get the better opportunity. That’s why this program which is under AIFF focuses on gender equality and on giving equal opportunity. And not just in gender but also in the role of the players because they need to find out where their interest is; the rotation of roles is only till the age of 10. So a goalkeeper will get a chance to play in other roles, and it will go rotational to every player.
- ELEMENTS –
It is the COMMUNITY where they try to build stronger to reach their aim of 1,40,000 schools to participate in the BLUE CUBS program of AIFF and engage 2.6 crore children by 2026. Aiming to bring out the future LEADERS, through SCHOOL and VILLAGE by conducting football matches. By making them participate in football we can identify their TALENTS who can even take part in BLUE CUBS LEAGUE. This league is an initiative by AIFF, their game format is 2v2 and 7v7.
Plus, they are developing their various DEVELOPMENT CENTERS so the children can get the best! For this, they consider AIFF license C and D coaches who can train all the children to perfection and then identify the undiscovered Talents. They connect with the stakeholders, to bring all types of FACILITIES and various INFRASTRUCTURE. In short, this program is made for the PLAYER’s GROUND ROOT DEVELOPMENT. Keeping this in mind, they hire the best NUTRITION to keep the children’s hearts healthy.
CONCLUSION –
On May 15, 2024, the Blue Cubs program started; it is a program made only for children aged 4 to 12 years old; it is an initiative of AIFF (All India Football Federation). CUBS stands for “connect,” “unleash,” “build,” and “support.” This program focuses on fostering the children from the ground root. This program has various formats of games for different ages. Collaborated and partnered with schools to drive participation, one of the biggest games with which this program collaborated is FIFA.
Blue Cubs even have their league which is named Blue Cubs League. Gender equality and equal opportunity are what they mainly focus on in their complete program. Selected best performers from the age of 9 to 12 years old get the chance to participate in the Elite Blue Cubs program.