Sports & Education Promotion Trust

Sports & Education Promotion Trust (SEPT) was established to promote sports development in India
with focus on football. Started in 2004 and based in Calicut, the trust has set up football training
centers called “football nurseries” spread across seven districts in Kerala. Majority of these centers are
located in rural areas, one is in a tribal region. Given the huge potential in the tribal areas of Kerala
which largely goes untapped due to financial constraints and lack of adequate sports infrastructure for
the people of such area to pursue the game, the thrust of the initiative is on spotting and nurturing
talent in rural parts of the country. Currently, SEPT has soccer nurseries in twenty two centers. These
include rural region, urban region, a tribal region and coastal region.

Vision

To become a premier breeding ground for football in India by imparting training of

international standards and providing necessary amenities to talented children from impoverished,
rural and tribal areas of the country and thereby provide opportunities for these children in the
mainstream sporting arena .

Mission

To identify football talent among children from impoverished rural and tribal backgrounds
through an intensive residential Programme, and to nurture the talents to reach international
standards, and in the process create awareness about football in the mainstream sporting arena of
India.

The Concept

Talented children below the age of nine are identified after conducting selection trials at
different centers under the guidance of a team of experts. About 540 children, the best out of more
than 5000 who turn up for selections are divided among the twenty two centers. These children are
provided with intensive training by local professional coaches at different centers. Currently each
center has 20 boys who are trained three times a week with duration of 2 hours in each session. Special
training sessions are also conducted during vacations and holidays like Christmas, Onam etc. Once in
three months, selected trainees gather at one place for an intensive training session under a
professional coach. In the past, many of these sessions have been conducted by foreign youth coaches
from Belgium, Holland, Malaysia and Germany.
 Resident trainers at the academy also undergo refresher courses periodically to keep them
updated with the best scientific training methods and techniques used in football academies around
the world.

SEPT also organizes regular tournaments in the districts concerned as well as inter-center tournaments
so that the boys get used to competitive football. Selected boys participated in friendly matches at
Kochi & in a U-10 tournament at Goa .To help the trainees gain international exposure, team
participated in 3 tournaments in Sweden (Dalecarlia Cup, Storsjocupen) and Finland (Kokkola Cup)
during July 2007. SEPT, Calicut was the winner of the Dalercarlia Cup, Sweden (U-11) & Finished 5th in
the prestigious Kokkola Cup, Finland.

The Process followed by SEPT to select boys

People behind SEPT

Chairman: Mr. Arun Kumar Nanu

Mr. Arun is a National football referee. His love for football and his passion to see talent being
nurtured in children led Arun to set up SEPT. Arun’s vision is as strong as ever, and continues to
inspire. He currently heads a Department of UAE Exchange, an Abu Dhabi based MNC.

Secretary: Mr. Sethumadhavan. C

Mr. Sethumadhavan brings to the table rich experience from his stint as an Ex- FIFA referee. His
enthusiasm for soccer is infectious, and this reflects in his working style. Mr. Sethumadhavan is the
former Headmaster of Chaliyam UHHS School, Calicut

Treasurer : Mr. K. G. Somashekaran

An ardent sports fan and a former sports person, Mr K. G. Somashekaran is the Executive Engineer( Rtd)
from the Public Works Department. Being an excellent organizer , many events & functions were
recorded in his credit. His exposure to extensive travel and public relations mould him to be a worthy
humanitarian.

Trustee: Mr. Manoj Kumar M.C

A football fanatic, Manoj has represented Calicut University & Maharashtra State. Manoj’s dedication to
the SEPT cause is admirable. When he isn’t thinking football, works with the Bank of India, Calicut.

Trustee: Mr. V. A Jose

Mr.Jose is the former Vice- Principal at Vazhakkad Govt Higher Secondary School, Malappuram District.
He has been exposed to football at various levels – from being a sports commentator to a Class III
referee, Jose brings with him rich perspective about the game he loves.

Trustee: Mr. Sreenivasan .V

Currently the treasurer of the Usha School of Athletics (USHA), Mr. Sreenivasan brings to SEPT his skill
in sport administration. Having been a member of the National Kabbadi team, Mr. Sreenivasan
understands the importance of organizations like SEPT in promoting sports in the country.

Chief Advisor: Prof. T.M. Abdurahiman

As former head of the Department of Physical Education, REC Calicut, Mr. Abdurahiman contributes in
the area of processes and systems at SEPT. His formal exposure to the field of sports administration has
gone long way in formalizing processes at the trust. As Former Secretary, Kozhikode District Football
Association and Former Member, Standing Committee, Kerala Sports Council, Mr. Abdurahiman brings
rich sports management experience to SEPT.

Technical Director: Mr. Volker Jung, Germany

Mr. Volker Jung is the Technical Director of FC Kempten, Germany and the chief coach of their youth
side. Mr. Volker Jung is an avid football lover. A self-confessed love for India and extensive technical
expertise sees him actively participate in SEPT’s camps. Mr. Jung provides technical inputs by coaching
children as well as coaches, using contemporary teaching techniques from Europe.
Annual Events

The SEPT Training calendar is from January to December of every year.

Residential Camps

Residential Camp – 1 - April

Residential Camp – II - October
Residential camps are conducted once in every 6 months for 5 to 7days , under the guidance of foreign youth
coaches. Best performing trainees from all centers are brought together for intensive training. 22 boys are
accommodated in these camps.

Coaches Training Programmes

Coaches Training Programme -1

Trainers from all the centers are brought together to brief the training methods to be followed. Progress of
each centre is analysed , necessary corrective methods to be adopted, if any, are instructed by the Technical
Director.

Coaches Training Programme –II

Coaches Training Programme (CTP) is conducted once in a year, under the guidance of a foreign trainer.
Interested coaches from outside are also permitted to attend this, which is a 5 day programme.

Area Tournaments

Area tournaments are conducted once in a year in every centre, nearby schools & clubs are invited to
participate in tournament. Talented boys are identified to admit for the regular training. These tournaments
help to replace with fresh talents, for those who are eliminated in the weeding out programme.

Inter Centre Tournament – “Sept Fest “

A team from all centers meet at a venue to participate in the Inter centre tournament. Technical Director &
coaches identify the best performing boys , who are selected for the residential camps.

The SEPT Football Team

The SEPT football team represents the cream of the trainees at SEPT. Selected from over 580 student
trainees in SEPT after evaluations at various levels including the SEPT Fest and residential camps, the
football team is the image of the success that SEPT has proved to be over the last four years.
Achievements
The achievements of the football team in the short period of its existence are numerous.
Some of them are
 Invited twice by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to showcase our football trainees from
all centers. SEPT boys demonstrated their skills on 18/04/2005 at Calicut Stadium before the
ONGC National Football League match between SBT & Mahindra United and on 28/05/2008,
during interval of the ONGC Super Cup match between Sporting Goa & Dempo Sports Club

 Received appreciation from the Malaysian National U-10 coach, Mr. Andy & AFC Guest Relations
Officer, Mr. Nama about excellent working of the SEPT initiative

 Winner of the Dalecarlia Cup , Sweden ( U-11), July 2007

 Finished 5th in the prestigious Kokkola Cup in Finland – July 2007. ( 36 teams from various
countries like England, Russia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Ukraine, Norway participated)

 26 boys represented their respective districts in the State (U-13) Football Championships 2009.

 Captains of Wayanad, Kozhikode & Malappuram District teams (U-13),2009 , were SEPT boys.

 7 boys represented Kerala State Football team, 2009

 Captain & Vice-captain of Kerala State Football team (U -13) were SEPT boys, in 2009.

 2 boys represented India (Under- 13 )at the AFC Championships 2009 in Iran.

 Anis K, awarded the Best Player (Under -13) of the year, 2008, by Kerala Football Assn.

 2 boys represented India (Under- 14 )at the AFC Championships 2010 in Iran.

 Asil. K , awarded the Best Player (U-13) of the Year 2009, by Kerala Football Assn.

 Hanan & Anis received scholarship to train at the IMG Academy, Florida USA , for nine months.

Management support
SEPT receives management support from Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K), who bring in a
touch of professionalism into the organization. IIM-K students have taken up this as part of their Social
Development Project (SDP).

Long term plans

Over the past 6 years SEPT has grown into an organization worth reckoning in nurturing the football
talent of the rural areas of Kerala and developing footballers of international quality. But the mission is
only in its initial phases. Over the next few years SEPT aims to grow into an organization that identifies
and develops the best footballing talent all over the country and guide talented young children to
make a career in football.

Our commitment to the game of football is evident from our long term plans. We are looking to create
a sustainable model for identifying talents at a primary-school level to foster the talent in trainees till
they reach the age of fifteen.
We aim to:

 Setup football nurseries in every district of Kerala & spread it out throughout India: Already
there have been requests from nearby villages to set up centers but we are unable to do the
same due to paucity of funds
 Conduct exchange Programme within India & abroad: Received invitation from Finland ,
Sweden , Germany & Malaysia to participate in U-12 tournaments. Initiatives such as these will
certainly popularize the sport to ensure visibility in the media.
 Conduct Coaches Training Programme. We have been conducting coaches training
programme periodically. These were organized jointly with the District & State Football
Association’s. Such programme will be conducted regularly in future, to ensure the availability
of most modern coaching methods for coaches.
 Set up a residential football training center. We plan to construct a residential football
training centre. The trainees, who are at the age of 14, will be short listed and accommodated
in this centre. In addition to advanced football training, the educational and living expenses of
these talented students will be borne by SEPT The recurring process of admission of trainees
will take place every 4 years. SEPT has plan, upon identification of sustainable sources of funds,
to provide admission to trainees every year. Thereby ensuring he availability of four batches,
at any given point in time to be catapulted into the future.

Proposed model of residential football training centre: