Kochi teen not just loves football but organises tourneys for pocket money

Aryan Ajith, a 15-year-old boy from Kochi, seldom breaks his routine at his apartment complex. Along with his friends, he gathers in the open space of the building to play football. Unlike others, Aryan went a step ahead - he organised a football tournament. What began as an idea for pocket money, actually worked out.

“I always had many business ideas, and I love sports too. So I started thinking of ways to turn my interests into a business opportunity. That’s how the idea of conducting a football tournament came up,” said Aryan, a Class 10 student of Choice School, Kochi.

Once the idea was finalised, Aryan immediately began marketing the tournament. He designed an Instagram poster announcing a football tournament in Kochi on March 21, and the response exceeded his expectations. “Many teams registered for the tournament. Even teams from Thrissur came to participate,” Aryan said.

A total of 16 teams took part in the competition, with each team paying a registration fee of ₹1,500. The winning team received ₹8,000, while the runners-up were awarded ₹4,000.

Aryan managed the tournament expenses using the registration fees collected from the teams. He also rented the Soccer Park turf in Kakkanad to host the matches.

“I was able to save some money after the tournament. Everything went as expected,” Aryan said.

He was ready for more action. With nearly a month of vacation still remaining, he soon came up with another idea — one that once again caught his parents by surprise.

“He always spoke about business ideas and wanted to try different things. When he first mentioned the football tournament, I didn’t pay much attention to it. Only after he successfully organised it did I realise how serious he was,” said his mother, Isha Pattali.

Encouraged by the success of his first venture, Aryan soon moved on to organise a basketball tournament. This time, one of his friends joined him in managing the event.

The second tournament turned out to be even bigger. Aryan managed to secure three sponsors — Decathlon, Aida Interior and Curry Mate, a venture run by his friend’s father.

Before the tournament, Aryan brought home the trophies and placed them on the family’s dining table. It was then that his father, Ajith V Thomas, realised his son was organising another event. “At first, I didn’t know he was planning a second tournament. I was surprised when I saw the trophies at home,” Ajith said, adding that he fully supported his son’s efforts.

However, things did not go entirely as planned during the basketball tournament held on May 24. “We were aiming for 16 teams, but only nine teams registered. Maybe it’s because basketball is not as popular as football,” Aryan said.

Despite the lower turnout, he was not disappointed. The tournament, held at Olympus Arena in Thammanam, was conducted successfully and the organisers managed to cover all the expenses.

More importantly for Aryan, the venture helped him achieve what he had initially set out for — earning his own pocket money.

Though he did not reveal the exact amount he earned, Aryan said he was satisfied with the outcome and, more importantly, the experience he gained from organising two sporting events during his school vacation.

Aryan, who adores Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, also spoke about his future ambitions. “I like business and I have many ideas. But next, I want to pursue Mechanical Engineering,” he said, adding that he would now focus more on academics and think about organising more tournaments only after completing Class 10.

“Class 10 is very important. We are happy and proud of what he has done, and we always encourage his passion. But now I think he should focus more on studies and exams. After that, he will have enough time to chase his dreams and also get the educational support he needs,” his mother said.

He also attends basketball coaching sessions. “A coach comes to the apartment complex to train the children, and Aryan takes part in that as well,” his father said.

Aryan's love for football and basketball developed naturally. Ajith recalled that shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, he had enrolled his son in cricket coaching and bought him a complete cricket kit. “Then COVID happened. After that, he hardly played cricket. His passion was always football. The cricket kit is still lying at home, while the boy is out there playing football,” he said.