Football tourney for schools
Schools in Southern Namibia are gearing up for the second edition of the Inter-Regional Senior Schools Soccer Challenge themed 'Sport Is Life – Reach For The Stars' from 30 June to 2 July at Keetmanshoop.
The annual tournament was launched last year to compensate for the lack of proper promotion and assistance of soccer at grassroots level in the //Karas and Hardap regions.
The organiser, Rhuuksie ||Garoëb said that majority of football players in these two regions are extremely talented and skilled but are overlooked by national scouts due to lack of football in the communities they live. He said that the advantage of the tournament is to help youth development in football around the two southern regions.
“Soccer starts at school level and by grooming upcoming players we will be able to cater for league clubs and in turn the national level at different age groups. The event is not for personal gain,” emphasised.
The annual event was hosted in Rehoboth in 2016 and 14 schools participated. Mariental High School was crowned champions after defeating Rehoboth High School in the final.
He added that business people in the south should put their money where their mouths are by investing in sport saying their businesses benefit directly from the hosting of such events. “Without the youth there is no future in Namibian football,”
//Garoëb said.According to //Garoëb, due to the success of the last event, organisers have received interest from schools from Windhoek and as far as Swakopmund, including football academies. “So, hopefully it will become the biggest youth tournament not only for schools, but football academies as well.”
Limba Mupetami
The annual tournament was launched last year to compensate for the lack of proper promotion and assistance of soccer at grassroots level in the //Karas and Hardap regions.
The organiser, Rhuuksie ||Garoëb said that majority of football players in these two regions are extremely talented and skilled but are overlooked by national scouts due to lack of football in the communities they live. He said that the advantage of the tournament is to help youth development in football around the two southern regions.
“Soccer starts at school level and by grooming upcoming players we will be able to cater for league clubs and in turn the national level at different age groups. The event is not for personal gain,” emphasised.
The annual event was hosted in Rehoboth in 2016 and 14 schools participated. Mariental High School was crowned champions after defeating Rehoboth High School in the final.
He added that business people in the south should put their money where their mouths are by investing in sport saying their businesses benefit directly from the hosting of such events. “Without the youth there is no future in Namibian football,”
//Garoëb said.According to //Garoëb, due to the success of the last event, organisers have received interest from schools from Windhoek and as far as Swakopmund, including football academies. “So, hopefully it will become the biggest youth tournament not only for schools, but football academies as well.”
Limba Mupetami
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Namibian Sun
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