India Yamaha Motor has kicked-off the second season of the Yamaha ASEAN Cup U-13 Football in the country after the event tasted tremendous success in 2011. The domestic arm of the Japanese automotive major is conducting this tournament in collaboration with Indian Football Association (IFA), West Bengal. Numerous budding football stars from the state will partake in this event, which will begin on May 16, 2012 and end on May 20, 2012 at Mohammedan Sporting Club, Esplanade.
In the qualifying round, 6 teams from West Bengal will square off against each other in a total of 6 matches. Four semi final matches would be played and the winning teams will lock horn in the finals, which is scheduled to be held in May 2012. At the fourth Yamaha ASEAN Cup U-13 Football Finals, scheduled to be held from July 13, 2012 to July 15, 2012 in Malaysia, India Yamaha Motor football team will be represented by the victorious team of the tournament. 6 teams will compete from 5 Asian countries namely Indonesia, Thailand, India, Vietnam & Malaysia (x2 teams).
For choosing Kolkata as a venue, Mr. U K Ganguli, Hony. Secretary of IFA appreciated Yamaha. He also assured that full cooperation will be provided for the success of the event. According to him, such tournaments will help in identifying new talents in the country.
Mr. Jun Nakata, Director – Sales and Marketing, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. said, “We received an overwhelming response from football enthusiasts across the country during the first edition of ASEAN Cup U-13 Football held last year. With the second season of the tournament we are all geared up to provide a platform to children who have a passion for the game.”
He further added, “We have chosen Kolkata as the nerve centre since it has been contributing to the game for more than 100 years now. It is the hub of Indian football with 75 registered clubs across the city. It has the distinction of holding more than 150 coaching camps and conducting 1400 matches per year. It is also home to some of the greatest football clubs India has ever seen and produced some equally great football legends.”
In order to promote, popularise and support various sports along with motorcycle racing, special importance is provided by Yamaha’s corporate culture. With such activities, the company will be able to further reinforce the ‘Spirit of Challenge’ that it has imbibed in its corporate culture. This can also be seen in the bike maker’s dedication towards youth development and social contribution.
Yamaha Safe Riding Science program will soon be conducted by Yamaha for the young children, so that they become conscious about the traffic rules and be responsible citizens. Classroom training sessions in the day long program will educate the kids regarding road safety. They will also be taught to ride a bike and will be explained the importance of riding gear. Yamaha licensed trainers will teach these techniques to the kids. The company will be hosting test rides and free bike checkups. Daytona racing kits and Yamaha apparels will also be displayed.
