VEREENIGING. – It was a busy weekend for both players and coaches alike when the Sedibeng OR Tambo Games U/15 squads were selected at General Smuts High School in Vereeniging over the weekend.

The selected players will represent Sedibeng in the Regional OR Tambo Games scheduled to take place in Germiston from 22-23 October.

The selection of the players started at the three municipalities, Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal Local Municipality on Saturday with the final squads’ selection taking place on Sunday. The sporting codes that form part of these OR Tambo Games are soccer for both boys and girls and netball. It was a great display of talent on the day with selectors overwhelmed by these youngsters’ talent.

Some of the selectors included former Kaizer Chiefs great, Johannes “Disco” Phadime and Safa Sedibeng Regional Technical Officer, Thulani “Japan” Mthimkulu to mention but two.

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport after the final selections, Phadime said that for the past years Vaal has produced household names in South African football and that he was overwhelmed by the talent that was on display on the day.

“Look, if it was possible, we could have selected all of them because they were exceptional and very talented individuals. I’m grateful to be part of selectors to witness such talent from both boys and girls. This is the most painful process in football, to select players, because sometimes you’re forced to compromise the talent because of the number of players that are requested,” he told Sedibeng Ster Sport.      

It was tears, joy and sadness when Mthimkulu announced the final squads to represent Sedibeng. Mthimkulu encouraged those that were not selected that, “this is not the end of the world”, because there is always next time especially for those who were born in 2007.

This project is part of Department of Sports with the selected players having the possibility of going as far as representing the country in Italy for the Sancino Games.