Kia street league kicks off
JUST as the Spur Masidlale soccer league ended at the NU2 Stadium last month – the annual Kia street soccer league kicked off at NU1’s Mbabala Street.
There are 20 teams taking part in the u-13 league. Each team consists of six players – four boys and two girls. They play for 14 minutes – two halves of seven minutes – and have a break of one minute.
The programme was started in 2010 and is already well established in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. This year Free State has been included.
The programme reaches approximately 6000 boys and girls around the country.
Regional programme coordinator, Kaizer Quntu, said the involvement of girls is a good way of exposing them to the game at an early stage.
"In the Eastern Cape there are not many soccer clubs for girls and the programme gives them a chance to play at an early age.
"The matches are played after school every Wednesday,” said Quntu.
Round robin matches are played for 10 weeks, with weekly sessions followed by a week of regional finals.
Provincial finals will then be held during the last week of next month . Regional winners will be flown to Johannesburg for the national championship finals in early September.
It is sponsored by Kia, Sporting Chance, Foodzone, Dawn Wing, Mille and SuperSport’s Let’s Play.
Sporting Chance managing director, Brad Bing said it has long been their dream to hold a national championship final.
"Bringing teams together from all the participating regions to play for one trophy symbolising South Africa’s best, gives the Kia street soccer programme a huge profile boost with greater national presence.
"Furthermore, it is a thrilling opportunity for the youth who make it to the finals to experience camaraderie on a national level and the excitement of a national championship final, as well as to see more of their country.
"It will no doubt be a high point in their young lives – and we hope the first of many,” said Bing.