The Gauteng Province has produced some of the greatest names in South African football history and is a known hotbed of talent for the country.
In all corners of the province there are hidden gems waiting to be unearthed and given the opportunity to be the next Ace Ntsolengoe, Jomo Sono or Kaizer Motaung.
That is the aim of the 2014 Future Players Gauteng Talent Search, which continued across the province last weekend with an event at the Sports School of Excellence that drew 300 more boys and girls from Ekurhuleni North to try their luck.
It was the 10th event in the province in the lead-up to the finals that will be held at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville on March 29.
A total of 12 coaches put the young, aspiring footballers through a set of skills tests designed to bring out the potential in them and perhaps catapult them on to a career as a professional footballer.
The next 2014 Future Players Gauteng Talent Search will be held at the Randfontein English Primary School for learners in Gauteng West on 15 February.
Aside from the football there is also an important social responsibility aspect and all pupils will be given a presentation by LoveLife, South Africa’s largest national AIDS prevention, education and behaviour initiative for young people, as well as Grassroots Soccer who will both be present on the day.
The organizers of the 2014 Future Players Talent Search hope that once again this year they will see over 10 000 learners from around the Gauteng province be assessed by expert coaches to determine if they have the potential to make a professional career out of football.
The Future Players initiative, runs in conjunction with the Gauteng Provincial Government, led by the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, and is open to boys and girls aged 13 to 16.
• Source: sports-focus.co.za
