Surat to host second Sub Junior Men and Women Hockey West Zone Championship from Tuesday

New Delhi, July 22 (HS). The second Hockey India Sub Junior Men and Women West Zone Championship 2024 will start from Tuesday at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University Hockey Ground in Surat, Gujarat. The championship will conclude on July 30. 7 men's and 6 women's teams will compete for the top honors in the championship.

In the women's category, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Chhattisgarh, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Rajasthan, Hockey Gujarat and Goa Hockey will play each other in a round-robin format, with the top two teams eventually qualifying for the final.

The men's category has been divided into two pools. Pool A includes Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey Rajasthan. Pool B will include Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu Hockey, Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Gujarat and Goa Hockey. The top four teams at the end of the group stage will advance to the semi-finals on July 29.

Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Goa will kick off the Sub Junior West Zone Championship in the women's category on Tuesday, followed by matches between Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey Rajasthan and Hockey Chhattisgarh and Hockey Gujarat.

In the men's category, Chhattisgarh Hockey will clash with Goa Hockey, followed by a clash between Hockey Rajasthan and Hockey Maharashtra.

Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said about the championship, “The aim of the Sub Junior Zonal Championship is to bring out talent from the far corners of the country by providing professional hockey experience to children at an early age. 13 teams are going to participate in Surat and we hope that with time players from this region will become stars of the game.”

Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said, “It is imperative to provide the youngsters with a holistic experience to ensure their all-round development. The Sub Junior Zonal Championship in Surat will give the players realistic game time, which will help them get familiar with the pressures of an athlete. I am sure that the players who adapt to this environment will shine on the bigger stages.”