Youngsters shine inyouth Day tourney

SAFA Chatsworth are on a drive to produce a professional footballer from their ranks.

The Local Football Association, led by Nelson Kuppan, knows that to unearth the region’s next star, they will have to invest heavily in junior football.

And it seems that the LFA is not all talk. Their recently held Youth Day tournament drew youngsters from three age divisions to the Westcliff grounds.

Hundreds of football-crazy youngsters grabbed the opportunity to play in the competition and produced some eye-catching moments during the outing.

Manning Rangers Under-7 striker Nishan Noel Jugdis stole the show in the exciting final against opponents Croftdene FC.

The little maestro netted a scintillating hat-trick, while fellow forward Benjamin Rengasamy also scored as Rangers won 4-0.

After watching their Under-7s win, Rangers’ Under-9 team turned their attention to their final against Summerfield Dynamos.

With both sides failing to find the net, a penalty shoot-out resulted and Rangers won.

The Under-11 final between Dimes United and Galaxy FC was just as close. It was a finely balanced encounter, where solid defending from both teams brought a goalless result.

In the shoot-out, Josiah Naidoo slotted the winning penalty to hand Dimes the honours.

“Football is not just about kicking the ball and scoring goals. It will help a child with discipline, dedication, communication skills and leadership qualities,” Kuppan said.

“We are hoping that through our collective efforts Chatsworth can produce a professional footballer.”

Kuppan was very encouraged by the support received from parents and supporters.

He said: “The standard of football has improved because of the involvement of many club members.

“A lot of emphasis has been placed on junior football and the enthusiasm shown by the leadership of clubs and parents has contributed to the success of our tournaments.

“The winners and runners-up were presented with individual trophies as well as a floating trophy.

“We do not hand out prize money to junior teams but we will continue to invest in our structures.”

In addition, the competition also marked the culmination of a SAFA D licence course hosted by the LFA.

“It was a ground-breaking move for us as more than 25 coaches obtained their coaching qualifications and were acknowledged at the event,” Kuppan said. RIGHT: On the charge... Nishan Noel Jugdis of Manning Rangers Under-7 team is a young star on the rise.