In a bid to emerge as a sporting power house, Punjab Sports Department would conduct trials from February 1 to 19 to admit budding players (boys & girls) as residential or day scholars in newly setup Punjab Institute of Sports (PIS), academies and sports wings of schools for the academic session 2016-17.

The selection trials would be conducted across the State for Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Table Tennis and Judo for various age groups at different places.

An official spokesman on Saturday said these scheduled trials would be conducted from February 1 to 19 in different stadia.

Trials in Hockey (boys & girls) having age U-14, 17, 19 age category would be held at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium Burlton Park, Jalandhar for three days. Trials for U-14 category would be held on 2nd and 3rd February, U-17 on 4th and 5th February while U-19 trials would take place on 6th February. Selection trials for Football (boys) U-14 age category would be held on 18th and 19th February at Government Senior Secondary School (Football Academy) Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur while trials for all age groups of boys and girls in Athletics would be held at Guru Nanak Stadium, ludhiana on 7th and 8th February.

Basketball (boys & girls) U-14 trials would take place on 7th and 8th February and for Volleyball (boys & girls) U-17, 19 category would be held on 9th and 10th February at Guru Nanak Stadium, ludhiana. Trials of Table Tennis (boys & girls) U-10, 12, 15 age categories would take place on 5th and 6th February at Sports complex, Sector-78, S.A.S. Nagar.

Trials to Judo (boys & girls) for residential and day-scholar age groups would take place at various places on different dates. On 1st February, trials would be conducted at Sri Dasmesh Martial Art Academy Sri Anandpur Sahib, Outdoor Stadium Hoshiarpur and Guru Arjan Dev Sports Stadium Tarntaran and Government Senior Secondary School, Gurdaspur on 1st and 2nd February. Similarly, Judo trials would also be conducted on 2nd February at Guru Nanak Stadium Kapurthala, 4th February at Hansraj Stadium Jalandhar, 5th February at Sports Stadium Bathinda, 6th February at Multipurpose Stadium Mansa, 8th February at Polo Ground Patiala, 9th February at Guru Nanak Stadium Amritsar and on 11th February at Sports Complex, Sector-78, S.A.S. Nagar.

Selected residential category players would get diet at a rate of Rs. 200 per day while those falling in day scholar category would get diet/refreshment at a rate of Rs. 100 per day. Besides this, expert coaching, ultra modern sports equipment and all necessary amenities would also be made available free to players in addition to education, transportation and medical facilities.

The spokesman said eligible players must report at trial venues to their concerned District Sports Officer at 9 am sharp for registration. Admission forms can be procured free of cost from concerned District Sports Offices or at trial venues. Players participating in trials should bring their original and attested copies of birth and sports achievements certificates along with 2 passport size photographs.