Priest preaching football gospels helps Idukki team shine

Thodupuzha: On the Idukki district team dugout, Fr. Berlin Inchacka Palatty (Berlin Baby) is not merely offering prayers for his team, but does far more than that. He actively strategises and dictates their play.

The assistant vicar of Infant Jesus Church, Kidangoor, under the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, Fr. Berlin served as the assistant coach for the Idukki district team at the recently concluded State Senior Football Tournament.

Though he donned the cassock instead of pursuing a professional football career, a sport that has been his lifeblood since childhood, his passion for the beautiful game remains as fierce as ever. His mentorship helped the Idukki squad secure a commendable fourth-place finish in the tournament held in Wayanad.

Fr. Berlin is the son of Baby and Lissy of the Inchacka Palatti family, based in Olive Mount, Angamaly. Throughout his 12 years of seminary formation, he regularly took to the pitch for the seminary teams. A year after his ordination into the priesthood, he approached church authorities with a desire to formally take up coaching.

With their blessing, he enrolled in a 12-day training programme in Thodupuzha and went on to earn his primary coaching license from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) last year. He is now gearing up to attend the certification course for the next tier, the AFC 'C' License, scheduled for next week in Thrissur.