K7 Qualifiers: The Journey and Beyond

Kabaddi is the second most popular sport in the country and its history is seeded in the roots of India. The K7s are not just tournaments for players but also for the academies. The first edition of K7 Qualifiers kicked off in the northern belt of India, Sonipat.  The K7 Qualifiers was an attempt to extract young talent and bring them  on a unified platform. The K7 Qualifiers created massive impact and managed to exceed expectations of coaches and players alike.

There are various reasons because of which the K7 stood out in the Kabaddi world.

• The first and foremost reason that made it such a success was the safety around the tournament. In the tough times of the pandemic, proper protocols were maintained. From regular screening to proper supply of sanitizers and other facilities being sanitized regularly and hygiene being maintained, adding to that scheduling was done in such a manner that not more than a hundred people and 4 teams were present in the venue on a single day.
• Second, safety was not just regulated to covid protocols, the players safety was insured with safe sacrosanct mats (provided kindly by Gravolite) and presence of physios and emergency medical team.
• The players and coaches were pivotal to the tournament. The arrangements in the venue ensured players had separate practice grounds and healthy nutritious food. Coaches shared their points of views at the end of the day. Teams which performed at their best and did not finish in the top two were given wildcard entry.
• Punctuality was one of the core values and all matches started on time. The schedule for the tournament was fixed and distributed a week before the tournament.
• Data and player stats is at the heart of the K7 story. All matches were broadcast on Youtube and Instagram; raid by raid data was collected and shared for all matches. The scores, with commentary, player statistics, and heroes of the match along with a live stream on YouTube and video clips of matches were present which made the tournament what it was. 

Follow all action from K7 Qualifiers

The K7 Qualifiers was just a start, in the 4 days of battle between 16 teams across 24 matches, 10 teams have qualified for the finals, where one team will emerge an undisputed winner. The final round is slated to take place this winter. The top two teams qualified from each of the four pools and then two wild-card teams adjudged by the jury, who qualified for the K7 Finals.