New Delhi, March 31 (NationPress) The 16th edition of the Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship is set to kick off on April 1 in Ranchi, Jharkhand. This championship will run until April 12 and will utilize a division-based format that was introduced last year by Hockey India for national competitions.

In Division ‘A’, 12 teams are divided into four pools. The knockout rounds will commence on April 9 and culminate with the Final on April 12. Hockey Jharkhand, the host, leads Pool A, alongside Bihar (BSSA) and Hockey Maharashtra. Pool B includes Hockey Odisha, Hockey Punjab, and Hockey Andhra Pradesh. In Pool C, teams from Hockey Haryana, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, and Manipur Hockey will compete, while Pool D features Hockey Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, and Chhattisgarh Hockey.

Division ‘B’ will follow a league format from April 1 to April 6, with teams divided into two pools. Pool A consists of Delhi Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Bengal, and Assam Hockey. Pool B comprises Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Uttarakhand, Hockey Gujarat, Hockey Karnataka, and Hockey Himachal.

Division ‘C’ will also operate in a league format from April 1 to April 4, with Pool A including Kerala Hockey, Telangana Hockey, and Goans Hockey, while Pool B features Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Le Puducherry Hockey, RAJ, and Tripura Olympic Association.

All matches will take place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. Teams earn three points for a victory, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss across all divisions. In Division ‘A’, any tied knockout matches will be resolved through shoot-outs as per FIH rules.

Prior to the tournament, Dilip Tirkey, President of Hockey India, remarked, “The Sub Junior Women National Championship serves as a vital platform for discovering and developing young talent. The division-based format provides players exposure to top-tier competition and helps create avenues for progression. I wish all teams the best of luck.”

Bhola Nath Singh, Secretary General of Hockey India, added, “This championship is essential for bolstering the grassroots infrastructure of Indian hockey. The widespread participation is encouraging, and we are confident that the tournament will highlight the next generation of skillful players.”

On the opening day, Hockey Jammu Kashmir will face Le Puducherry Hockey at 6 AM, followed by Delhi Hockey against Hockey Bengal at 7:45 AM. The third match at 9:30 AM will feature Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey versus Assam Hockey. At 2:45 PM, Hockey Chandigarh will take on Hockey Karnataka, and the final match of the day at 4:30 PM will see Hockey Uttarakhand competing against Hockey Himachal.