The 2011 Gauteng Future Champions Talent Search Programme heads for Kwa Thema

Forever Marketing – Maggie Sekoto

Johannesburg, Wednesday, 16th February 2011 –

The third stop in the 2011 Gauteng Future Champions Talent Search programme will take place this Saturday, February 19 at the Kwa Thema Sport Complex when learners will be put through their paces as they try to prove they have the skills to become professional footballers. The Talent Search, which is being run in conjunction with the Gauteng Department of Education, is in its third year and has already hosted successful events in 2011 at Moletsane and Ennadale, where more than a 1 000 learners have put their talent to the test. Saturday’s event in Kwa Thema is for learners aged 14-16 from the Gauteng East and Ekurhuleni South regions. It follows the successful hosting of the event last weekend in Ennadale, where a total of 13 coaches put the learners through their paces. But as much as the Talent Search is there to unearth fresh playing talent, it is also an important programme for coaches too. A register is being kept for the duration of the Talent Search for the most committed coach to win an all expenses paid trip overseas for further training. The criteria for winning will not only include consistent attendance, but also skills assessment during the Coaching Clinic to be held the week of the 2011 Gauteng Future Champions International Tournament. Last year’s winner was Sphiwe Tsotetsi, who went to Brazil to study the training methods at the world-famous academies of Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro. He says the experience of both the Talent Search and his South American trip have been invaluable.

  • We had a wonderful football and cultural experience in Gauteng. The tournament and activities were very well organized and we found everyone involved extremely helpful and accommodating. We have all returned home with fantastic memories of our time in South Africa, both on and off the pitch, and have made many new friends as a result of the trip. I hope that we are invited to participate in future tournaments.

    Everton Academy Head Coach
  • The experience both on and off the field for our players during the Future Champions tournament in Gauteng was life-enriching for all those who participated. We were privileged enough to win this edition but what will be bringing us back in future is the cross-cultural education our players receive from spending time with athletes from all over the world. They are human beings before they are football players and enriching them with other cultures is as rewarding as the experience they receive on the field.

    Club Tijuana Director of Football
  • After twenty years of experiencing tournaments around the globe, Future Champions is hands down the best organized, well run International Tournament we have ever participated in. Bringing teams from dozens of different countries provided our boys exposure to cultural diversity they only read about in textbooks. It’s amazing how sport can be the cultural link that provides the opportunity to interact with each other and discover that our global community is a bit smaller than they realized. We had a football and cultural experience that will be cherished for the rest of our lives.

    Director of USYSA Select
  • For us to compete in Future Champions is much more than playing a series of matches. It is an opportunity to compete and contrast our level against the best teams from around the world and the possibility of living in another culture and environment for an unforgettable week, learning about the history of the fight for human rights.

    Director of Aspire Academy
  • The addition of a girls’ competition this year is a natural expansion for what has become a hugely popular event. Over and above the football, the players are also exposed to life-skills courses and HIV/AIDS awareness that could end up saving their lives in the future. We have had an amazing partnership with the Gauteng Province over the last decade and we thank each and every stakeholder for making the Future Champions Gauteng campaign such a huge success

    Tournament director