Scouts spot talent

The Khalambazo Sports Field in Tembisa was a hive of activity this July, with 48 school-level soccer teams taking part in the Jerry Sikhosana Winter Games.

The tournament ran over the course of a three-week period, with 16 teams taking part in the U/11, U/13 and U/15 divisions respectively.

Flamingo FC from Emangweni, Tembisa, came out on top with both their U/11 and U/15 teams winning the title in their divisions after the finals on Saturday, July 16.

The winning teams received sponsored soccer kit and training gear. The team’s coach, Mr Matango, was grateful for the opportunity.

He expressed his gratitude towards Sikhosana for organising the tournament, which is aimed specifically at developing young players.

“Everything went so well. We came here and played for free, and are walking away with kit and training gear. We can’t wait for next year’s tournament,” he said.

According to Sikhosana, he decided to host the tournament for the second time in order to invest in the development of young soccer players.

“They need to play in tournaments like these that are well-organised. It gives them that feeling of professionalism. It also creates the opportunity for some of them to be spotted by the talent scouts we invited,” said Sikhosana.

Mr Themba Ngwenya, a senior scout for Mamelodi Sundowns, was impressed with the calibre of players at the Winter Games.

“I was very impressed with this event. It’s good to see Jerry doing something like this in his hometown, which I also hail from. I scouted quite a few future stars leading up to the finals. These players would not have been noticed at such a tender age if it were not for this tournament. I thank Hollywoodbets for supporting Jerry and helping him to run such a good tournament,” he said.

Sikhosana also feels that this year’s tournament was the best yet and he expects it to keep growing in the future.

“I am proud of the boys. They looked motivated to do their best throughout the tournament. They showed great commitment and discipline. I can’t thank Hollywoodbets enough for the support they give to me as their brand ambassador. I am grateful to be part of the Hollywood family. I also want to thank my Tembisa Masters Social League committee, who was also very helpful in making this tournament a success,” said Sikhosana.

The tournament was well-supported, with plenty of spectators coming out to show their support of these young players.