Boosting soccer and life-skills
More than 800 kids take part in development league
MORE than 800 children are taking part in a national soccer development programme, the Spur Masidlale League, in Port Elizabeth. Nearly 80 coaches from across South Africa are helping in the league in which 10 boys’ and 10 girls’ teams with children between nine and 13 years old partake.
Primary school teams from Siyaphambili, Elundini, Dumani, Ikhwezelihle, Elufefeni, Melisizwe, Zanoxolo, Fumisikoma, Mpumalanga and Enkwenkwezini already contested their first-round matches when the GREY High hosted their inaugural Rackets and Golf Festival in Port Elizabeth at the weekend, involving 122 boys from around the country.
On the tennis courts, Selborne College won a tightly contested final 4-2 against Rondebosch from Cape Town.
Rondebosch No 1 Mathew Johnson, who is one of the top under-16 players in the country, went through the festival unbeaten, as did Selborne No 2 Ryan Little.
Grey ended third by beating Bishops, having lost narrowly to Selborne in a semifinal which lasted five hours.
On the squash courts, the Eastern Province Invitation team won a tense final against Bishops on a points count after the
RESULTS
GOLF
Grey High Festival Final standings: 1 Grey High 466, 2 Daniel Pienaar 445, 3 Outeniqua 438, 4, Outeniqua B 398, 5 Bishops 355, 6 Grey High B 318, 7 Grey College 274
RUGBY
First teams Cambridge bt Graeme 16-10 Hangklip bt Winterberg 31-24 Helpmekaar bt Brandwag 20-18 Hudson Park bt Grens 14-8 Marlow bt Sentraal 14-12 Nico Malan bt Bethlehem Voortrekker 15-7 Wynberg bt Pearson 19-0 Westering bt Andrew Rabie 43-25 Ndzondelelo bt S Mahlangu 14-13 Daniel Pienaar bt Framesby 18-15 Wildeklawer Festival Kimberley, day one Outeniqua bt Selborne 24-20 Monument bt Boland Agric 22-20 Paarl Gym vs Middelburg Tech 21-3 Affies bt SARU XV 50-0 Paarl bt Louis Botha 26-7 Dr EG Jansen bt Glenwood 33-3 Grey College bt Waterkloof 29-3 Oakdale bt Diamantveld 26-13 Noord-Kaap bt Menlo Park 40-34 league was launched at the NU2 Stadium in Motherwell last week.
The Masidlale Soccer Programme has successfully used soccer to educate, inspire and empower young people since 2005, and has now partnered with Grassroot Soccer (GRS) to manage the life-skills component of the league.
Khakhi Diala, of the Spur Group, said the Masidlale programme was recognised as one of the leading youth soccer development initiatives in South Africa.
“It started with 12 one-day coach- matches and games were even.
Framesby No 1 and SA U19 No 2 Dewald van Niekerk was unbeaten and the best player at the festival.
Grey ended fifth, narrowly losing out on a semifinal spot when Bishops edged them on a games count after the matches ended 3-3.
The EP Invitation team consisted of Denric Mulder (Daniel Pienaar), Gershwin Forbes (Muir), Ofie Howard (Westering), Tyler Whitby (Alex Road), Yannich Adlam (Westering) and Keanu Langford (Muir).
The golfers played on three different courses – St Francis Links, Port Elizabeth Golf Club and Humewood. Grey High dominated to win the event by 21 shots, ahead of Daniel Pienaar. Wynberg Age-group Festival Grey U16A bt Tygerberg 67-0 Grey U15A bt Tygerberg 26-9 Grey U14A bt Tygerberg 60-0 Grey U16A bt Bishops 19-3 Grey U15A lost to t Bishops 7-10 Grey U14A bt Bishops 54-0
SOCCER
NMMU Charity Cup finals U16 boys: Bethelsdorp bt Strelizia 1-0 U19 boys: lizia 1-0 U19 girls: Bethelsdorp bt Sanctor 7-0
Urban Academy bt Stre-
SQUASH
Grey High Rackets Festival Grey High bt Pearson 6-0 Bishops lost to EP Invitation 2-4 Framesby bt Grey B 5-1 Selborne bt Grey College 6-0 Grey High lost to EP Invitation 1-5 Grey B lost to Selborne 0-6 Bishops bt Pearson 6-0 Framesby bt Grey College 4-2 Grey High drew with Bishops 3-3 Grey B drew with Grey College 3-3 Framesby bt Selborne 5-1 EP Invitation bt Pearson 6-0 Semifinals: Bishops bt Framesby 4-2, EP Inv bt Selborne 4-2 5-8 play-offs: Grey A bt Grey B 6-0, ing clinics, but the league has grown steadily and has highlighted a huge need for initiatives that provide a platform for youth development,” Diala said.
“Through Masidlale, we teach kids soccer and life skills.”
Founded in 2002, GRS has worked in more than 46 countries worldwide, with more than 716 000 players graduating from programmes run by GRS and partners, similar to the Masidlale programme.
The Spur Masidlale Soccer Development Programme is held in Grey High Rackets Festival Pool A Grey High bt Selborne B 6-0 Outeniqua lost to Rondebosch A 2-4 Grey High bt Outeniqua 5-1 Rondebosch A bt Selborne B 5-1 Grey lost to Rondebosch A 1-5 Outeniqua bt Selborne B 6-0 Pool B Selborne A bt Rondebosch B 6-0 Grey College lost to Bishops 2-4 Grey College lost to Selborne A 0-6 R’bosch B drew with Bishops 3-3 Rondebosch B bt Grey College 4-2 Bishops lost to Selborne A 1-5 Semifinals: Grey High lost to Selborne 2-4, Rondebsoch A bt Bishops 4-1 5-8 play-offs: Outeniqua bt Grey College, Selborne B bt Rondebosch B Final: Selborne bt Rondebosch 4-2, 3rd: Grey High bt Bishops 4-2, 5th: Outeniqua bt Selborne B, 7th: Grey College bt Rondebosch B Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, Diala said.
To ensure effective mentorship, GRS holds a training session with coaches ahead of the regional launches.
Through a series of interactive activities and discussions, led by Caring Coaches, participants also gain an understanding of a variety of social issues they face and the skills necessary to take on those challenges.
Following last week’s launch and opening matches, league meetings take place over a six-week period.
Each player receive a Spur-branded kit. The winning team of each region will be treated to a Spur lunch and attend a Premier Soccer League game as team mascots.
The remaining league dates are today, May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26, with the finals on June 2.
Last week’s first round results: