Youth league seeks to develop soccer stars
The league was designed to keep children preoccupied even after the soccer season is over and as holiday season approaches.
HARLEQUINS Sports Club was abuzz with excitement as local junior teams came out for a five-a-side social tournament as part of the Fast Five Youth Futsal Soccer League on a sunny Sunday, 27 October.
The young players showed great effort out on the field during the fast-paced matches in the indoor soccer facility at Harlequins. “After two rounds of action, the 10 teams served up plenty of quality football for the boisterous crowds in attendance to enjoy. In the U9 age groups Skills Stars showed a dominant form, scoring a total of 16 goals in their first two fixtures. A special trio of youngsters Torian Ogle, Dylan Fynn and Keeron Volson, delighted the crowds exhibiting skills of players three times their ages, to catapult skill stars to the top of the log. The U11s were a lot closer in competitiveness as Bayview and the Little Neymars shared top spot after the first couple of rounds,” said referee Jabu Nzama.
The league inaugurated on Sunday, 27 October, and consists of teams from the Bluff, Wentworth and Merebank areas for U9 and U11 age groups. Founder, chairperson and general manager, Kerwin Jacks, launched the initiative through his Play Fair Sports Foundation, with the aim of getting children back on the playing field and out of their living rooms lazing about on smartphones.
“The league was designed to keep children preoccupied even after the soccer season is over and as holiday season approaches. The league is fun, social and more of a summer programme. Some of the matches have been quite competitive. It has also become an assessment to see the standard of our players in terms of their development so we are also using this as a gauge to see where we can improve all players even from different teams and then coaches can collaborate and see how we can develop these players further as a unit and compete on a fair level because we have identified an imbalance. We are not encouraging a win at all costs mentality,” said Kerwin.
All fixtures take place at the Harlequins Sports Club’s indoor soccer courts every Sunday until mid-December where the teams with the most points in each age group will win prizes as well as a floating trophy to display in their respective cabinets. Community members are encouraged to have a fun day out with family and friends in support of this initiative. Fixtures begin at 9am. Junior teams that wish to sign up for the 2020 leg of this league are welcome to contact Kerwin Jacks on 078-681-2259.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 876 3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun
