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A soccer ball.
The deplorable state of sporting facilities in rural areas in the Eastern Cape has come under the spotlight as various community-hosted sports tournaments over the Easter weekend.
Some tournament organisers have called on authorities or a Good Samaritan to step in and assist them in upgrading these facilities. They believe this will go a long way in unearthing talent.
Communities were entertained through various sporting codes over the Easter weekend in Middledrift. The tournament aims to unite young people through sports and to encourage them to desist from social ills such as substance abuse.
“There is a lot of raw talent here; we at least want to see one, two, or three playing professionally one day. We have one that is playing in the Vodacom league, but our aim is to see one of our own playing for Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, or Chippa United, at least if it based here in the Eastern Cape. The reason we started this is to see talent,” says tournament organiser Khanyisa Tshapu.
Despite the challenges of inadequate facilities and aging infrastructure, participants are optimistic about a better future.
“I see myself in the SA Team with the likes of Phumza Maweni, who is a star in the SA Team. In the next five years, I see myself at UJ playing netball,” says netball player Likhona Ngeyi.
These tournaments not only speak to entertainment but also open doors for players to showcase their talents on international stages.
“We have a team from Germany; we have an exchange program with them to take athletes to Germany for three years. This is a hunting ground. We have the vice president of the Blue Bulls. This is a hunting ground for talent that is to be identified to ensure that it changes their lives,” says Siyabulela Moko from Moko Sports Foundation.
The tournament ends on Monday, with the winning teams expected to scoop up big prizes.
