STCJ Airoli Girls Amreena & Priya Shine Brightest at the Copa Fe Carrom Championship
COPA-FE (Cup of Faith) was organized on November 12th by the Archdiocese of Bombay through the Diocesan Vocation Youth Center. It was a diocesan-level event that brought together kids and youngsters from different parishes across Mumbai to play sports like football, dodgeball, carrom, table tennis, badminton etc.
Participants represented different parts of Mumbai, including Bandra, Vikhroli, Goregaon, Sakinaka, Airoli, Vashi, Gokuldham, Pali Hill, Marol, Kashimira, Dadar, Thane, IC Borivali and other areas. The event provided an opportunity for different parishes to come together, interact and showcase their sporting talents.
Ms. Amreena Thomas and Ms. Priya Jency represented STCJ, Airoli and participated in the Carrom tournament which had over 25 teams in total for both boys and girls. The format was to play a few matches in the league phase with the top 4 qualifying for the semi finals. Here is how our dynamic duo performed in their games
- First Match: STCJ Airoli played against Vikhroli and secured a victory, earning valuable points.
- Second Match: STCJ Airoli faced Bandra – Pali Hill and lost. However, our red coin advantage and points from the previous match helped us qualify for the semi-finals.
- Semi-Finals: We faced Bandra – Pali Hill once again, the same team we had lost to earlier. This time, we managed to turn things around and secured a victory.
- Finals: We went on to win the final after a well played game, bringing home the victory for St. Theresa of Child Jesus , Airoli Parish.( STCJ AIROLI)
The games may have been won and lost on the board, however, the journey and experience is much bigger than that. Initially, we were nervous seeing the level of competition and how well the other participants played. The carrom boards used were championship-level boards, which were much smoother than the boards we were accustomed to playing on. Getting used to the speed and smoothness of the board was one of our initial challenges, however, as we played more matches, we gradually became comfortable and adapted our playing strategies.
Facing the same team in the semi-finals that we had previously lost to made the victory even more special. Winning the tournament was an amazing and unforgettable feeling. We initially Participated just for fun and experience but turned out to an unforgettable day - as they say "God's plans are always better than your plans." Representing St. Theresa of Child Jesus, Airoli Parish and winning together made the experience even more memorable.
A special word of appreciation to the organizers who had a vision for this tournament and to all those who executed it well, the entire event was organised smoothly and systematically. The priests and seminarians of St. Pius X College, Goregaon, played an important role in organizing the event and officiating as referees for the games. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet participants from different parts of Mumbai, understand their playing styles and learn new strategies.
Beyond winning, the event gave us exposure, new friendships, sportsmanship and a memorable experience of unity among different parishes. COPA-FE was more than just a sporting competition. It was an opportunity to bring young people together through sports, faith, teamwork and healthy competition. Our journey from an initial defeat to winning the semi-finals and finals for our parish made the experience even more rewarding.
The champions received their well deserved certificates, trophies and medals along with a cash prize of Rs. 1000 as well for their victory. This was our first inter-parish carrom tournament and now team STCJ has registered a victory in multiple sports events of different categories for both girls and boys. -Ms. Amreena Thomas
