Soccer legends revive school soccer tournaments

Six schools from Tembisa and Alexandra clashed at Ecaleni Sports Field on Saturday.

Zenzeleni Primary School proved to be the kings of the dusty soccer fields when they beat Khula Sizwe Primary School 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

Former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates player Jerry ‘Legs of Thunder’ Sikhosana said as a brand ambassador Hollywood Bets, bringing together the six schools was a great initiative.

Sikhosana and Brian ‘Spiderman’ Baloyi, former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana player, each brought three schools from their respective townships together to enjoy the game of soccer and scout for new talent at a school level.

“Hollywood Bets is giving us as soccer legends an opportunity to come back and plough back what we had when we were still at school.

“I knew Brian before we even knew that we were going to turn professional football players,” said Sikhosana.

He said they want to revive the culture of school soccer tournaments.

“For these children to have our support and spending the whole day with them is a great thing for them.

“I want to say thank you very much to Hollywood Bets and I hope this does not end here.

“This initiative needs to go to other areas, not just Tembisa and Alexandra because we come from there as brand ambassadors but we need to make sure other provinces benefit as well,” said Sikhosana.

He said the school children were awarded soccer boots, bags and medals.

Baloyi said the tournament is the first edition and they hope to host it in Alexandra next year.

“For me, having the children coming out to play is the most important thing.

“The quality and everything else comes after.

“The children had fun and got prizes.

“It was not about competition but about participation,” said Baloyi.

The schools that participated were:

Tembisa schools

• Khula Sizwe Primary School

• Marhulana Primary School

• Shukumani Primary School

Alexandra schools

• Bovet Primary School

• Zenzeleni Primary School

• Emfundisweni Primary School