Surat, Dec 22 (NationPress) The highly anticipated 3rd Hockey India Junior Men Academy Championship 2025 – Zone A & B is set to kick off at the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University in Surat from December 23 to 30. This event promises to showcase some of the brightest young talents from top hockey academies nationwide.

This championship will see 14 teams representing various academies and state associations, organized into four distinct pools. Pool A comprises the Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy, Cheema Hockey Academy, and Army Boys Sports Company. Pool B includes Namdhari Sports Academy, Ritu Rani Hockey Academy, and Giants Sports Academy.

In Pool C, you will find S.G.P.C. Hockey Academy, Ashwini Sports Academy, Hockey Family Badhkhalsa NCR Hockey Society, and Sports Authority of Gujarat - Hockey Academy. Finally, Pool D consists of Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy, Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy, Bhagta, Raja Karan Hockey Academy, and Pritam Siwach Sports Promotion Foundation.

All participating teams will engage in a round-robin format within their pools. Points will be awarded as follows: 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a defeat. The winners from each pool will advance to the Semi-finals on December 29, followed by the 3rd/4th place match and the Final on December 30, 2025.

Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India, remarked, “This tournament is crucial for our youth development initiatives. Events like this provide young athletes with essential match experience and help them grasp the competitive nature of hockey early on. I extend my best wishes to all participating academies and players.”

Bhola Nath Singh, secretary general of Hockey India, echoed these sentiments, stating, “This championship signifies our ongoing commitment to enhancing the academy and grassroots framework in the country. It gives young players a chance to showcase their skills against competitors from across India. I hope the participants learn and develop significantly through this tournament.”