10 September 2014

Cape Town Beach Soccer Tournament a Success

Submitted by: matthew newnham
Cape Town Beach Soccer Tournament a Success

CleanC the NPO behind the Cape Town Beach Clean Up held its first inter-community beach soccer tournament on Saturday 6th September. Despite inclement weather, 100 young soccer players from Dunoon, Joe Slovo, Langa and Table View took part in a number of 5-a-side games on Blouberg Beach.

“The event was preceded by the monthly beach clean up” says Organiser and CleanC Founder Greg Player “and as much as playing soccer was the intention, education about the environment, litter and the importance of keeping beaches and communities clean was equally as important”

All players were winners in the tournament as the focus more on fun than winning. Each player was given cooldrink courtesy of Jive and were given a healthy meal. 

The Soccer tournament forms part of a larger Beach Soccer Festival that CleanC are planning to host during the summer months and for which sponsorship is currently being sought. A series of tournaments will be held on various beaches around Cape Town with each including a beach clean up.  “These will become part of the CleanC and Cape Town annual calendar” says Greg Player “The event will create employment as well as promote the work of CleanC and the Cape Town beach clean up in a fun way”. 

From the Soccer Tournaments potential community youth leaders are identified and encouraged and invited to attend the youth leadership imbizos run by CleanC. From here community upliftment projects are identified by the youth in their communities, and with assistance from the CleanC NPO these are supported, planned and executed. Encouraging a spirit of entrepreneurship and developing leadership skills that can be transposed into the workplace and beyond.    

Dates for the forthcoming soccer festival have yet to be finalized and anyone who wishes to consider supporting or sponsoring this event should contact Greg Player.