Soccer initiative creates a chance for kids to compete
The boys strive to provide as many kids with boots and other kits as they can and challenge the community to help them.
Many kids in the area are born with a soccer ball in their hands, but never get the chance to play on a competitive level due to lack of transport, infrastructure and funds, to mention but a few.
This is one of the reasons why White River United Soccer Development (WRUSD) was established – to meet a huge need in the White River area, and draw soccer players from local schools, including Uplands College, Penryn College, The King’s School, Hoërskool Rob Ferreira and White River Primary. Their outreach league programmes extends through White River and surrounding areas. Key partners are Child Welfare and Petra College. This programme involves various local village schools.
WRUSD recently held a tournament which saw 220 players participate in two age groups – u/13s and u/16s. Teams that participated were White River United, Child Welfare, Dwaleni Primary, Real Tigers, Sneakers, Masoyi Petra and VW Palm
Motors. Some tough matches ensured a good day of soccer. The purpose of the WRUSD initiative is to create opportunities for kids to practise, play and participate in programmes that they would otherwise not be afforded. They offer monthly triangular and quadrangular tournaments, which assist with logistics and stretch resources further. One of WRUSD’s goals is to provide the participating teams with soccer kits. This is done through donations and fund-raising projects run by two pupils, TK Kwari and Jarred Matthew – both sons of coaches.
The boys strive to provide as many kids with boots and other kits as they can and challenge the community to help them. WRUSD has already kitted out several teams who aren’t able to afford it, with full kits and players with boots with the help of friends and hopes to get other locals involved in developing these teams.
“Soccer sometimes gets neglected, and we are trying to build this on what we got, not on what we haven’t got,” says Dean Matthew, who started the initiative. “We need to create space for champions and evaluate growth. There really is something special in the Lowveld.”
Results
• The u/13 winners were Child Welfare 2
• The runners-up were Sneakers and third place went to Child Welfare 1
• The u/16 winners were Sneakers
• The runners-up were White River United, and third place went to Child Welfare 2.
