Team Hata beats Jamshedpur to win 1st NTHA Grassroot Hockey Festival

Jamshedpur, June 24: The East Singhbhum Hockey Association in collaboration with Naval Tata Hockey Academy proudly inaugurated the 1st NTHA Grassroot Festival on 19th June, marking a significant milestone in nurturing young hockey talent in the state of Jharkhand. The festival began with an exhilarating inaugural match that set the tone for an exciting league till 22nd June.

Four teams—Bandgaon, Hata, Chaibasa and Jamshedpur– competed in this league, showcasing the promising skills of young athletes. The opening ceremony was graced in the presence of Ms Chandreyee, General Secretary of East Singhbhum Hockey Association & Manager Sports, Tata Steel Foundation, who delivered an inspiring speech emphasizing the importance of grassroots development in hockey. The first day was also attended by Mr. Gurmeet Singh Rao, Project Director, Naval Tata Hockey Academy, Mr. Manish Kumar, Head Coach Naval Tata Hockey Academy along with Mr. Ajay Yadav, Treasurer east Singhbhum Hockey Association.

The inaugural match saw spirited performances from all participants, highlighting the potential and passion of the young players. In the tussle between Team Bandgaon vs Team Hata, Team Bandgaon was victorious by a scoreline of 1-0. Player Shinu from Team Bandgaon emerged as the player of the match.

The second match of the day was played between Team Chaibasa vs Team Jamshedpur. The match went till the shoot-outs. Finally Team Jamshedpur Clinched the victory by 2-1 goals in the shoot-out. Player Samail Munda from Team Jamshedpur was the player of the match for his exceptional performance.

East Singhbhum Hockey Association aims to not only identify and nurture hockey talent at the grassroots level in Jharkhand but also to instill a love for the sport among young athletes. The league promises to be a stepping stone for these players as they aspire to make their mark in the world of hockey.

The second day of the 1st NTHA Grassroot Festival witnessed an exhilarating display of young talent at the Tata Hockey Academy ground. The 2^nd Match Day was graced by esteemed chief guests Mr. Manjit Singh Member – East Singhbhum Hockey Association & Veteran National Level Army Hockey Player, Mr. Sanjeev, Manager Sports – Tata Steel, and Ms. Ananya Leppi Asst Manager – Events & Admin- Tata Steel.

The day kicked off with a thrilling match in the morning match. The first match was played between Team Jamshedpur vs Team Bandgaon. Team Jamshedpur clinched the victory by a scoreline of 2-1.   Puna budding scored 2 goals for Team Jamshedpur for which he was awarded the man of the match.

The second match was equally competitive, with young athletes showcasing their dedication and passion for the hockey. This match was played between Team Chaibasa and Team Hata. Team Hata won against team Chaibasa by 1-0.  Player Budhram Nag from Team Hata was awarded the player of the match.

The third day of the 1st NTHA Grassroot Festival witnessed a hockey excellence from the first whistle where both teams demonstrated their resolve to dominate the field at the Naval Tata Hockey Academy. The 3^rd Match Day was graced by esteemed team of Naval Tata Hockey Academy Technical Team and by support staffs from Tata Steel High Performance Centre.

The match kicked off with high energy as both teams fought for control. The first match played between Jamshedpur Vs Hata. Team Jamshedpur won against Team Hata by 1-0. Player of the Match was Ram from Team Jamshedpur.

The second match was played between Bandgaon vs Chaibasa. Chaibasa’s defense was put to the test early on, but their goalkeeper made some impressive saves to keep the scoreline intact. In the match Team Chaibasa emerged as the winning team. From team Chaibasa, Ban Singh, was announced the player of the match.

The excitement reached its peak on 22^nd June as the grand final of the much-anticipated 1^st NTHA Grassroot Festival took place between Jamshedpur and Hata. Adding to the day’s thrilling atmosphere, the 2nd Runners-up match was contested between Chaibasa and Bandgaon. The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Mr. Manish Kumar, Head Coach of the National Tata Hockey Academy (NTHA) and Sumit Batham, Coach NTHA, who witnessed the intense competition and inspiring performances from the stands.

The day was also graced by Captain Amitabh, Head Sports Tata Steel Foundation, Ms. Chandreyee, Manager Sports TSF, Florish Bovelander, Olympic Gold Medalist, along with Gurmeet Singh Rao, Project Director NTHA.

The grand final saw Jamshedpur and Hata face off in a high-stakes battle. Both teams exhibited exceptional skill, determination. The atmosphere was electric. Jamshedpur, known for their tactical gameplay and robust defense, met Hata’s dynamic and aggressive offense head-on.  Team Hata defeated team Jamshedpur to become Champions of the 1^st NTHA Grassroot Festival by 1-0 scoreline. Krishna Mundri from Team Hata became the player of the Match.

The festival concluded with Player Fagur Mundri from Team Jamshedpur getting the emerging player of the match from Jamshedpur with Sameil Mundu being the Best Player of the Match for exceptional performance.