RFYC Naupang League has changed much in Mizoram football in very short time, says MFA secretary Lalnghingiova Hmar

The inaugral edition is a big hit and is a good platform for promising Mizo footballers.

The MFA (Mizoram Football Association) joined hands with Reliance Foundation to develop the grassroots football through the RFYC Naupang League. The emergence of the league has brought in a positive change in the Mizoram footballing ecosystem and youngsters are now getting enough opportunities to showcase their skills by playing competitive matches regularly.

Lalnghinglova Hmar (Tetea), honorary secretary MFA heaped praises and said, “We are happy to join hands with Reliance Foundation and the project in the future will turn out to be decisive and game-changing for Mizoram Football. 

Journey so far

The inaugural edition of the Naupang League started in November last year. The league is spread across several age groups (U-7, U-9, and U-13) and each team in the league gets to play a minimum of 30 matches a season.

Hmar Tetea iterated, “It has been a great journey so far between the MFA (Mizoram Football Association) and Reliance Foundation. Mizoram is a very small state in the northeast with not many multinational companies for sponsorships, and to bring this project here in Mizoram is a dream come true for us. In a small time frame, I have seen many changes (at the administrative level and the planning level) which has made football more professional and things are now being done in a systematic way.”

Changes in Football Ecosystem

“The first professional player from Mizoram was Shylo Malsawmtluanga fondly called “Mama” graduated from Tata academy in 2000-01. Since then we have had few players graduate from Tata and plied their trade for Mohun Bagan and East Bengal etc.” 

“The people in Mizoram thought that to play in big leagues like NFL or I-League (previously), they had to graduate from good academies outside Mizoram, but that feeling has completely changed now and the Reliance Foundation has brought in a broader scope to Mizoram. Through the Naupang League, (U-7, U-9 etc)  players are given opportunities to play competitive matches which helps them gain good exposure and experience,” he added.

Tetea further added, “For example, the players from Mizoram who have played at the highest levels in the past haven't played a good number of matches in their initial days. It was just the talent and skill which made them achieve success whereas, on the contrary, we now have young players playing a minimum of 30 professional matches. This change will do a lot of good for the players when they graduate into the senior level.”

Why is football special in Mizoram

“The easiest way to answer this question is football runs in the blood. Football was introduced to the Mizo’s by the Army who went to fight the second World War. Football wasn’t organized back then and since MFA’s formation in 1973 everything has changed. 

“Sport in a way has also united communities here. The kind of unity the community members have here is tremendous. And the unity is only through football and not through any other medium. On the other hand, we also have inter-village rivalry (healthy or unhealthy) which also started due to football. Also you will find two things everywhere you roam around in Mizoram - football field and church.”

Apart from building communities, “In the past around let’s say around ten years back, football was also used as a tool to fight against the spread of HIV AIDS. We have now started educating the youngsters (through coaches) to stay away from drugs etc which will help them to grow professionally.”

Changes post the inauguration of Naupang League 

“The biggest thing which I observed from my side is the training. Without RFYC or Naupang League we would have continued playing football, but what changed around in these few months is how players prepare for the matches and the training regime they possess. All the matches across all age groups are competitive and due to this the players have started taking extra care in the preparation which is clearly visible during the matches.”