Surat, Dec 22 : The 3rd Hockey India Junior Men Academy Championship 2025 â?? Zone A & B is all set to begin at the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University in Surat from December 23 to 30, bringing together some of the most promising talents from leading hockey academies across the country.

The championship will feature 14 academy and state association teams divided into four pools. Pool A consists of Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy, Cheema Hockey Academy, and Army Boys Sports Company. Pool B features Namdhari Sports Academy, Ritu Rani Hockey Academy, and Giants Sports Academy.

Pool C includes S.G.P.C. Hockey Academy, Ashwini Sports Academy, Hockey Family Badhkhalsa NCR Hockey Society, and Sports Authority of Gujarat - Hockey Academy. Lastly, Pool D comprises Ghumanhera Riserâ??s Academy, Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy, Bhagta, Raja Karan Hockey Academy, and Pritam Siwach Sports Promotion Foundation.

All teams will compete in a round-robin format within their respective pools. Teams will earn 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The winners of each pool will progress into the Semifinals, which will be played on December 29, followed by the 3rd/4th place match and the Final on December 30, 2025.

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, â??This is a key tournament in our youth development program. Competitions like these help young players gain valuable match exposure and understand the demands of competitive hockey at an early age. I wish all the participating academies and players the best of luck.â??

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh spoke on similar lines and stated, â??This championship reflects our continued focus on strengthening the academy and grassroots structure in the country. It provides young players with a platform to test their skills against opponents from all over India. I hope the players learn and grow a lot through this tournament."

/IANS