Reddam House hosts Discovery Schools soccer finals
Discovery schools soccer programme celebrates 16 years of promoting health and wellness among the youth through soccer at Reddam House Bedfordview.
Reddam House Bedfordview hosted the Boys High School Knock-Out Cup Finals on September 18.
These finals formed part of the Discovery Schools Soccer Programme, which began in 2009 and has been promoting health and wellness for 16 years. This particular tournament kicked off at the end of July.
The initiative includes primary and high school tournaments for boys and girls across Johannesburg, providing opportunities not only to compete and stay active but also to grow and prepare for life beyond the pitch.
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According to Discovery marketing manager Phumelele Kubeka, the programme started with the goal of nurturing young talent from grassroots level.
“This is so in line with our purpose, which is to make people healthier and take care of themselves. This happens all year round, and this is the high schools’ leg of it, which is shown by the energy and atmosphere.
“All the schools represented today showed so much grit and determination,” he said.
He added that the programme wouldn’t be possible without the support of parents, coaches, and teachers who are on the field every day.
Kubeka also thanked Reddam House for providing the venue, as well as ForwardZone and the Dynamic Schools Football League (DSFL) for organising and sponsoring the tournament respectively.
“Discovery is a fan of building not just a legacy for ourselves, but also enabling individuals to build one for themselves.
“So many sub-skills are being taught on the field right now — respect, sportsmanship, leadership, and those will carry on. We need support for these children to get closer to their dream,” he said.
ForwardZone account manager Seth Pearson explained that ForwardZone brings it all together for Discovery on finals day, from branding to setting up the change rooms, trophies, medals, and creating an overall holistic experience.
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Director of the DSFL, Marius Venter, said the league runs in three different provinces with a strong emphasis on professionalism.
“There are a lot of giveaways – we do quite a lot specifically for schools that can’t afford it. We subsidise their fees, and many of our sponsors assist by helping schools cover transport costs so they can bring their teams to specific venues,” he said.
Venter added that while historically only the top two teams received kits, now the top eight are provided for.
He also noted that teams have gone from having one or two Gauteng Development League players to three or four professional players who go on to play for national clubs.
“Specifically in the south and east Rand, we see brilliant quality players. If we can get more people on board who can add value to those who can’t afford it, then the skill can be developed and grow,” he concluded.
