Wentworth boys to represent KZN at national tournament
Shae' De Bruin, Kealyn Smith and Chase Labuschagne from Assegai Primary School have proven themselves on the field and have displayed great potential .
THREE Wentworth soccer boys have been chosen to be part of KwaZulu-Natal Invitational Primary School Soccer Association (KZN IPSSA) who will be competing at the national Bill Stewart Invitational Football tournament with players from other provinces in Limpopo from 25-30 June.
Shae’ De Bruin, Kealyn Smith and Chase Labuschagne from Assegai Primary School have proven themselves on the field and have displayed great potential to become fully skilled soccer players who will one day play in the big leagues.
“Such initiatives really are great for our upcoming players and it shows other youngsters, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds such as Wentworth, that there are people out there looking out for talent regardless of where they may come from or what they have. It motivates them from a young age to continue pursuing their dreams of becoming successful soccer players in the future. KZN IPSSA also encourages a balance between education and sport to help build well-rounded boys who will be equipped for the future. It is a big achievement for … and I’m very proud of them as a coach and as a parent,” said Bayview Soccer Club coach Mario Labuschagne.
KZN IPSSA is a non-profit organisation which was established for the purpose of exposing talented soccer player youngsters on a provincial level and ultimately national level with in hope of helping the boys to reach their dreams. As a result, KZN is now represented at the Bill Stewart Invitational Football tournament which is national and this provides the boys with an opportunity for these boys to be discovered.
“Once a year, through a series of district trials, KZN under 13 soccer teams are chosen in May to represent KZN at the Bill Stewart Football Tournament held over the mid-year holidays. This is the chance of a lifetime and we try to offer players an experience of what it may be like to become a professional sportsman, thus igniting motivational fires that burn long and hard within those fortunate few. Aside from a footballing experience, we try to expose the players to capping ceremonies, formal dinners and team building events. Over the past few years, we have been able to provide a number of the players with their first flight experience and in 2012, over 10 members of the travelling 18 were on the Gautrain for the first time on our way to Pretoria,” explained Yagenderan Pillay, KZN IPSSA Secretary.
The boys said that although they are nervous about the tournament ahead, they are prepared to give it their all and make sure their skills are up for the challenge as they train three to four days a week. These talented soccer stars are now required to raise a fee of R8 400 per player for their upcoming tournament in Limpopo and are appealing to the community to assist them with sponsorship whether big or small, in helping realise their dreams.
Any sponsorship or donation will help to alleviate the financial burden on the parents of these talented children. For more information contact Mario Labuschagne on 078-516-9554.
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