First local tournament breeds new talent
The tournament forms part of an extensive programme by the NPO including a feeding scheme and a soccer team called Snake Park Amaroto FC.
Four junior soccer teams from Soweto were crowned camps at the inaugural Vilakazi Community Games hosted at Snake Park block 10 at Mayibuye Sports Ground.
The initiative made possible by the Snake Park Youth Development, a registered NPO in Thulani, recently wrapped up its fierce school holiday tournament for juniors’ divisions U11, 13, 15 and 17 Top 16.
The new tournament saw talent from far and wide with teams from Orange Farm, Pretoria, Mpumalanga, Germiston, Daveyton, Orlando East, Freedom Park, Roodepoort and Snake Park battling it out for the title.
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“We started Vilakazi Community Games because we saw most of the tournaments are for seniors and we realised that we can also promote our juniors as well because there’s talent in them.
“We are trying to get them off the streets and encourage them that they can be like PSL players,” said the chairman, Jabulani Vilakazi.
The tournament is named after the chairman, Vilakazi as recognition for his continuous contribution to the sport and grooming young talent away from substance abuse and dropping out of school.
Champions of the first annual Vilakazi Community Games for the U11, Pass Youth Academy (Snake Park), U13 Purpose Academy (Snake Park), U15 Abangani (Orlando East) and U17 Snake Park Amaroto FC (Snake Park).
The tournament forms part of an extensive programme by the NPO including a feeding scheme and a soccer team called Snake Park Amaroto FC.
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Vilakazi told the publication that the tournament in 2024 will host two massive games in April for U23 knockout stages and again in October for the U11 to U17.
“Our vision is to pull these children from the street and groom them into world class footballers that will go on to represent Soweto in leading clubs.
“We hope that in the next tournament we can have scouts who will source them for prospective signing into development teams,” Vilakazi said, adding that they would love to garner more support and sponsors to rally behind the tournament.
For more information please contact the chairman on 067 623 6684/081 311 1750 email:youthdeveloment287@gmail.com.
