PROGRAMMES / Community Art

Khirkee Football Series

Following the hugely successful cricket matches of the Satpula Super Series, KHOJ facilitated football matches for the youth in Khirkee and the neighbouring communities.

In July 2010, the Khirkee Football Series was organised in collaboration with the youth from the community. This time around we saw a much higher involvement of the youth, than earlier when we began with the cricket matches. It was heartwarming to see Jackson an 18 year old, college student from the Khirkee Village, successfully undertaking the leadership of coordinating the matches and organising the dates and timings of the matches, along with the participating teams. The matches were played on the grounds adjacent to the central Khirkee Village Park.

Four teams of nine players between 13-20 years of age participated in the Series, the Royal Rajputs (Khirkee Village), Khirkee Extension, Red Devils (Khirkee DDA Flats – I) and Khirkee DDA Flats-II. More than six matches were played before the finals. The players opted not to go for the T-shirts that KHOJ offered to contribute to the finalists and instead agreed to raise the prize money for the winning team to Rs. 2000/-. KHOJ organised a commentator for the final football match, similar to the final match of the Satpula Cricket Series.

The final prizes – the sum of Rs. 2000/- to the winning team and a football to the runners-up, were handed over by Maya-Ma, an elderly grandmother from the Khirkee Village, who is much loved for her support of several kinds of activities in the community. The Royal Rajputs were the winners of the Khirkee Football Series while the Red Devils came second. Later, the participants enjoyed their post-series celebrations at the KHOJ Studios over rounds of tea and snacks.

TAGS Collaboration, Collective, Community Art, Community Engagement, Community Outreach, Place Making, Social Innovation, Sport, Youth Culture