WATCH: Local learners selected to represent district
KwaThema – A three-day soccer selection process was conducted by the local school coaches together with the Local Football Association (LFA), to pick squads who would represent the Gauteng East District at the upcoming Winter School Games.
This Gauteng Department of Education initiative, was conducted at the KwaThema Sports Complex on Thursday, Friday and Monday, and from there u/11, u/13 and u/17 boys’ and girls’ soccer teams were chosen.
“During this process the district invited all schools from KwaThema to participate so that we could select 15 learners for each team in each age group.
“What was nice this time around as opposed to previous years was that this was the first time the process was done mixing children from different schools to form the teams, as normally we would have one team from a school representing.
“The selection has also been fair as the selected learners were chosen by coaches from the LFA who don’t personally know these children,” shared coordinator of the district football association’s Sylvia Mannie.
She added that they are content as all went well with the selection of the teams.
From this point the chosen squads will compete at district level of the games which will kick off at the KwaThema Sports Complex on May 27 and then those who do well will move on to the regional level to be hosted at Elspark from June 4 to 5.
If the learners win at those two stages they proceed to provincial level on June 11 to 12 at Florida in Johannesburg and then nationals which will be in Durban from July 10 to 17.
Mannie expressed that she was happy as this initiative was beneficial to all children who attended because those who did not belong to any soccer clubs, were recruited to join teams falling under the LFA.
Teacher and coach from KwaThema Primary School, Andile Madlisa added that such initiatives help their learners to express themselves and to develop holistically especially since children have different gifts.
“It would mean a lot if our selected teams could get to the nationals as some of them are aspiring to be professional players,” he said.
Local technical officer of the LFA, Mkhonzana Mkhonza indicated that they had partnered with schools as some of these children play for local teams in the community.
“We feel it is important to assist them as this is where we also started, therefore we must help them the same way other people helped us.
“As the LFA our dream is to see football grow so we can produce more professional football players from our townships,” he said.
