Sport festivals aimed at the younger set

WESTERING High will hold a competition for a slightly younger age-group when their first under-16 winter Co-ed Sports Festival takes place this weekend.

With matches being played on Saturday and Sunday, the festival will comprise three sporting codes in rugby, netball and boys' and girls' hockey.

The proceedings will kick off with a coaches' function on Friday evening.

In releasing news of the festival, Westering director of sport Steve Harris said the idea was to invite local schools for the first year.

"We have kept the invitations to local schools the first time, including Port Alfred High School, and we want to see what response we get," Harris said.

There has been an excellent response from those invited and the festival looks set to become a permanent event on the Eastern Cape schools calendar.

"We needed to do something for the U16 age-group, especially for pre-season, as there are many festivals out there in other provinces for the senior pupils," Harris said. "We have already had some requests from teams from out of town to participate in the festival next year.

"We are hoping for a weekend filled with enjoyment for pupils and to give coaches the opportunity to finalise their teams for the season."

The festival fixtures are:

HOCKEY

Saturday, boys, 8am: Woodridge v Alex; 9.30: Pearson v Westering; 11am: Port Alfred v Framesby; 2.45: Woodridge v Pearson; 4.15: Port Alfred v Alex; 6.30: Westering v Framesby

Girls, 8.45: Pearson v Alex; 10.15: Port Alfred v Framesby; 11.45: Woodridge v Collegiate; 12.30: Westering v Linkside; 1.15: Pearson v VP; 2pm: Alex v Collegiate; 3.30: Woodridge v VP; 5pm: Port Alfred v Linkside; 5.45: Westering v Framesby

Sunday, girls, 9am: Linkside v VP; 9.45: Westering v Port Alfred; 12.00: Framesby v Pearson; 12.45: Westering v Collegiate; 2.15: Woodridge v Alex

Boys, 10.30: Westering v Port Alfred; 11.15: Alex v Pearson; 1.30: Woodridge v Framesby

NETBALL

9am: Woodridge v Linkside, VP v Collegiate; 9.40: Framesby v Alex, Westering v Port Alfred; 10.20: Woodridge v VP, Collegiate v Framesby; 11am: Alex v Westering, Port Alfred v Linkside; 11.40: VP v Framesby; 12.20: Westering v Linkside, Port Alfred v Alex; 1pm: Woodridge v Framesby, VP v Port Alfred; 1.40: Linkside v Collegiate; 2.20: Woodridge v Alex

Sunday, 9am: Westering v Framesby, Linkside v VP; 9.40: Woodridge v Port Alfred, Collegiate v Alex; 10.20: VP v Westering; 11am: Woodridge v Collegiate; 11.40: Framesby v Port Alfred, Linkside v Alex; 12.20: Woodridge v Westering; 1pm: VP v Alex, Collegiate v Port Alfred; 1.40: Linkside v Framesby; 2.20: Collegiate v Westering

RUGBY

Saturday, 10am: Westering v Woodridge; 11.30: Victoria Park v Alex; 1pm: Despatch v Pearson

Sunday, 10am: Woodridge v Pearson; 11.30: Victoria Park v Despatch; 1pm: Westering v Alex. Bluewater Bay fest BLUEWATER Bay Primary is holding a rugby festival, including a series of coaching sessions, at the school on Friday and Saturday.

Besides the matches on the schedule, former EP Kings player Jaco van Schalkwyk and his coaching team will hold a session, while ex-Springbok and current Despatch coach Adri Geldenhuys will also be giving instruction to the young players.

There will also be a development programme for coaches and referees.

The schools participating are Bluewater Bay, Kabega, Dr Viljoen, Mount Pleasant, Tjaart van der Walt, Rowallan Park, Altona, Summerwood and Newton Park.

Play starts at 11am on Friday and 9am on Saturday.