The 2012 Spur Masidlale Soccer League Final will take place at the NU2 Stadium in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth on Wednesday, 6 June.
The league, which kicked off in February, saw ten girls’ and ten boys’ teams from local primary schools booting it out over a nine-week period to secure their spots on the log. The competition was fierce and going into Wednesday’s final matches the log positions remain tight. Mboniselo is lying first of the boys’ teams with 15 points, followed by Zanoxolo with 13 points and Dumani third with 12 points.
The girls’ team of Zanoxolo is lying top of the log with 17 points, followed by Enkwenkwezino second with 15 points and the team from Imbasa third with 14 points.
Points scored during the final play-offs on Wednesday will be added to the existing points on the log. Teams will be awarded three points for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The grand prize for the 2012 Port Elizabeth regional Spur Masidlale Soccer champions is a special VIP experience, which includes being mascots at one of the PSL games to be played in Port Elizabeth as well as a special Spur treat.
According to Banayana Banyana player and league ambassador Desiree Ellis, the Spur Masidlale Soccer programme is recognized as one of the leading youth soccer development initiatives in the country today. “I think the strength of the programme lies in the fact that the league is successfully used as a vehicle to teach vital life skills. In addition, utilising and training local community coaches, who all attended a coaching workshop to ensure standardised coaching methods, ensure their ongoing involvement with the youth,” said Ellis.
She further emphasized that it is crucial that the youth understands the importance of a good education and also that it takes commitment and hard work to be successful in life. “Too many of our former soccer heroes were not prepared for the hardship of life after soccer and are struggling today,” concludes Ellis.
Since launched in 2005 with 12 coaching clinics, the Spur-grown concept has touched the lives of more than 30 000 children. The first pilot league was hosted in Sandton in 2009 and was followed by the hugely successful 2010 league in Soweto, while the one-day concept continued to run across the country. The league was expanded to Cape Town in 2011 and rolled out to Durban and Port Elizabeth this year.
The day’s action:
- 14h45 – Boys’ Games kickoff
- 15h30 – Girls’ games kickoff
- 16h00 – Prize Giving
Banyana Banyana Player Desiree Ellis and learners from Vuyani Primary
