Children at the Zongza Club in Aliba village, Mokochung. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | February 23
Eight year old Tenempong wants to become a renowned footballer like Christiano Ronaldo. Every morning he gets up at five and by five thirty he is busy stretching and getting himself ready for training at the village ground.
Tenempong is a member of the Zongza club, Aliba village.
Formed in November 2020 during the pandemic-induced lockdown by Imkongchiba Pongen, a retired ONGC engineer, Zongza Club is not an ordinary club.
It aims to train and discipline young boys and girls and to prepare them for the future.
49 children ranging from 5-15 years of age who comprise the Zongza club are trained every morning and evening for 2-3 hours in football, cricket and athletics.
“Every day I eagerly wait for the training to start especially in the evening. I love being a part of the club because I get to play with my friends, learn tips and tricks about football and my body also stays fit,” says Tiawati, a 10-year-old boy who aspires to become an Army officer.
For three months, the young members of Zongza club were trained by professional football and cricket coaches on selected days. The young members are also taught how to sing folk songs and on Tuesdays, they sit with the elderly men in the village learning how to weave and make handicrafts.
T Yanglo Ao, a retired 2nd Naga regiment personnel, takes care of and coaches the children every day. “We love our coach. He is strict but he loves us so much. Running around with him, sometimes irritating him and learning from him is so much fun,” says Tinurenla, a 13-year-old member of the club.
Yanglo sacrifices his time everyday just to be with the children and watch them grow. “Being with the kids makes me happy and keeps me fit. There is joy in knowing each of them and to train them according to their strengths and weaknesses is a challenge,” says Yanglo while talking about his coaching experience with them.
“We don’t just train the kids to excel in sports. We teach them folk songs and handicrafts. We also take them to church and monitor them so that they learn to be disciplined in every aspect of life. The Zongza club has been formed with the aim that in three to four years we have at least a couple of disciplined young boys and girls excelling in sports in the state level,” he adds.
Yanglo is assisted by five more young boys from the village. With schools starting, the coaching will continue only on holidays and during summer and winter breaks. Zongza club has been formed with a purpose and its founder hopes that the dedication will bear fruit in the future. The club is funded and sponsored by its founder and all the coaches and trainers train the children free of cost.
