Will the Punjab Hockey League Kick Off with Eight Teams on Sunday?

Mohali, Aug 29 (NationPress) The highly anticipated second edition of the Punjab Hockey League for the junior age group is set to begin on Sunday, August 31. Eight teams are competing for glory, with an impressive prize pool of 30 lakh, marking it as the largest prize fund ever for a junior-level hockey tournament in India. The tournament will be officially opened by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Bhagwant Singh Maan, at the Mohali International Stadium.

Jointly organized by Roundglass Hockey Academy and Hockey Punjab, this league aims to offer invaluable match exposure to players at the grassroots level, significantly aiding their professional and personal growth.

The teams from Punjab include Roundglass Hockey Academy, Namdhari Hockey Academy, Surjit Hockey Academy - Jalandhar, and SGPC Hockey Academy - Amritsar. Outstation teams comprise SDAT Hockey Academy - Tamil Nadu, Naval Tata Hockey Academy - Jamshedpur, Ghumanhera Risers Hockey Academy - New Delhi, and Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence - Sonipat.

Discussing the Punjab Hockey League, Gurpreet Sunny Singh, Founder of Roundglass, stated, "At Roundglass Hockey Academy, we are committed to empowering the next generation of athletes. The Punjab Hockey League for juniors serves as a platform to motivate young players, expose them to top-tier competition, and rekindle national enthusiasm for field hockey."

The first phase of the league will run from August 31 to September 9 at the Mohali International Hockey Stadium, while the second phase and finals are scheduled at the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from September 15 to 27, culminating in the final match on September 27. A total of 60 matches, including semifinals and the final, are slated, with four matches occurring daily.

The prize money will be allocated among all eight teams based on their final standings. Each team may register up to 20 players, which includes three players from the Under-21 category (born after 01.01.2005) and 17 players from the Under-19 category (born after 01.01.2007).

Expressing his views on the Punjab Hockey League, Nitin Kohli, President of Hockey Punjab, remarked, "The Punjab Hockey League will provide consistent, structured competition and essential match exposure for evolving players while motivating tactical innovation among coaches. With every team playing 14 matches, the format guarantees both development and consistency. We are confident this league will mark a pivotal moment in our efforts to enhance grassroots hockey in Punjab and inspire similar endeavors throughout India."