Soccer awards in Ivory Park
IVORY PARK - The Ivory Park Football Association (IPFA) held its players' awards ceremony on 30 January at Kopanong Sports ground.
The chairman of IPFA, Ndleleni Maduma, said they started the association for the purpose of getting the youth of the township doing something productive.
“We host these awards on a yearly basis after our big tournament whereby 15 teams from around Ivory Park participate,” said Maduma. He said winners were then selected from these participating teams.
White Birds Football Club walked away with the U13 championship title. The players and the team were awarded gold medals and a miniature trophy.
The U15 title was won by Kaizer Edusport and its players were each presented with a gold medal and a trophy, while their senior side, Kaizer Edusport U17, was also awarded medals and a glittering trophy.
Maria All Stars won the Most Improved Team award.
Individual awards went to U13 player Peterson Nyathi, a Maria All Stars player who won the Best Player award. Andile Magagula, also an U13 player from White Birds won the Best Goalkeeper award. The U15 winners included, Raul Manyisa of Eleven Stars who walked away with the Best Player award; and Phuti Paleng, the Kaizer Edusport keeper, who won Best Goalkeeper award.
U17 winners Mesi Nguye, a White Birds player, who got Best Player of the Season award; and Thabelang Manyisa, a Burning Spear keeper, won Best Goalkeeper of the season award.
Nguye said he was excited to have won the award. “I know that football is my career, I have always known this. I worked hard for it and practised four times a week,” he said.
Maduma said the awards that were held this year were supposed to be held last year in December. However, a lack of funding put a halt to their plans. “Our biggest challenge at our association is a lack of sponsorship. This has forced us to postpone our annual sports event that was supposed to have taken place last year to this day,” he said.
Despite the financial hardship, Maduma did thank Ebony Park Spar and Khuya-Health Group who sponsored food and bottled water, respectively.
Details: Ndleleni Maduma 073 272 8701
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