The Hindu : Sport / Volleyball : Youth National may get younger

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 03, 2007
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Sport - Volleyball

Youth National may get younger

VATAKARA: Four selectors have been watching the matches closely at the ongoing National youth volleyball championship here to spot promising youngsters.

But despite their eager eyes, none of the players from this National will figure in the Asian youth championship for boys which begins in Malaysia on May 20 and the girls event which starts in Thailand next week.

The reason: The Volleyball Federation of India has a set of age limits which is very different from those fixed by the Asian Volleyball Confederation for their championships.

While the Asian and World youth championships for boys are under-18 events (for girls it's under 17), in India the youth National is an under-21 competition, thus creating a lot of confusion.

"For the last many years, we have been conducting the youth national as an event for players who had crossed the junior age-group but who still may not be ready for the senior grade. That is why we have it as an under-21 competition," said K. Murugan, the VFI secretary on Wednesday.

"But if it is creating confusion, we can discuss the issue at our next committee meeting and may be go for the change."

So, in future, the youth national may be a younger event. — Principal Correspondent

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