Indian football has inherited a good culture in recent times as players from the remote parts of the country are making their name. The Northeast part of the nation is proving to be the supply line of top footballers with a blend of technique and talent. While football transformation has been on the rise in states like Mizoram, a music teacher turned football coach – Lalrindika Khiangte (Dika), is carrying the baton for the state. A representative of the state team, Dika has been at the heart of the football revolution in the state and is one of the upcoming coaches in India.

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An ‘A-licensed’ coach in the country Dika is one of the prime reasons for the rise of football talents in Mizoram as WION exclusively spoke to the man. Part of the Mizoram Coach Program (MCP), Dika is building a force of coaches for the now-popular Naupang League (a tournament in Mizoram for kids between U-6 to U-14). He looks after the development and the growth of the coaches who in turn help Naupang League kids through various techniques.

Question: How was your journey in the establishment of the Naupang League?

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Answer: I used to be a music teacher in Punjab while my wife worked in Guwahati. My family lives in Aizwal so when RFYC brought the initiative to develop younger generations I did not hesitate and gave a thumbs up to the project. This project has in one way brought my family together and now we are working together with the Naupang League.

Question: What is the concept of Naupang League?

Answer: The word ‘Naupang’ in the local Mizo language means ‘kids’ and our initiative was always to develop these crops of players. Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) in association with Mizoram Football Association (MFA) took the next initiative to develop this mini-league. So we are fortunate to have RFYC and their help to develop football in this part of the world.

Question: Does the Naupang League work in a similar model to European club academies?

Answer: It is similar to the European leagues the difference but with little difference. At the age of 5 or 6, the kids there have played enough games and spent time on the pitch to grow their football talent. So Naupang League gives kids the platform to build their talent. I won’t compare ourselves to the European League, but with the RYFC infrastructure in years to come, we will be one of the top Asian countries to develop academy football.

Question: How do children learn the fundamentals of football with the Naupang League?

Answer: The kids are not finished products so they need to learn fundamentals of the game like kicking the ball, maintaining accuracy of shot and other key aspects. The Decentralized Coaching Sessions (DECO) session helps them develop these techniques before they step into advanced training. So in short, DECO sessions prepare them for the fundamentals before they are given the opportunity at school and senior level. Interestingly, the kids get coaching from licensed coaches from Mizoram who are developing through the MCP.

Question: How does the Naupang League ensure player development beyond what is already provided?

Answer: There are certain players who are well ahead of their time and are good at their skills, so we through the Emerging Talents Program(ETP) give special attention to these kids. The concept of ETP is to develop the already advanced players and help them grow under the guidance of good coaches in the state. Select players also got to travel to the RFYC academy in Mumbai after the first season of Naupang League to learn how football is beyond Mizoram.

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