Bay City U14s rake in trophies

THE Bay City Soccer School, a junior affiliate of the Northern Areas Football Association (Nafa), have taken a few more steps towards realising their dream after capping off a stellar season by winning the Nafa U14 Knockout competition.

They also won their group in the west zone of the U14 league. The U14 team remained unbeaten through the season in all competitions, just failing to make the League finals after bowing out on penalties in the west zone playoff.

Four players from the club also picked up awards at the clubs awards evening held shortly after the end of the soccer season.

Alex Heynes, who captained the team in the knockout final, picked up the sportsman of the year award, Ashton Hendricks was named player of the year, Camden van Rensburg was most dedicated player and Daniel Felix the most improved player.

Seven members of the team were selected to represent Nafa at the junior Safa-NMB tournament: Ashton Hendricks, Allesandro Schutte, Keenan Coleman, Keanu Bain, Justin Barends, Siseko Gush and Liam Bouwer.

Alex Heynes was not available for selection.

The format of the league this year was a bit different from what it usually is.

Teams were divided into four zones; the top team from each zone went on to play in the knockout phase which decided the winner of the Nafa league for the season.

Marc Manuel, a highly rated coach with a Uefa B coaching licence, who has been involved with Bay City for only the past year, said he was extremely proud of the team's achievements this season.

"All the hard work and training we put in paid off and the boys delivered when it mattered the most," he said.

Alex Heynes, son of team coach Vincent Heynes, picked up the sportsman of the year award for his part in the team's successful season.

Heynes has been with Bay City since he started his junior club career as an eight-year-old.

A centre-back by trade, and a capable goalkeeper, Heynes said the most satisfying part of the past season was helping his team end top in their division.

The team also took part in, and won, the Nafa five-a-side tournament.

The team, jointly coached by Manuel and Heynes, are looking to produce the next crop of soccer stars in the Eastern Cape, who will then be drafted into the Bay City Academy, which is still in its infant stages.

Heynes has coached the U14 team since U9 level and moved up with them each year. - Amir Chetty