The Gauteng Future Players project heads for Hammanskraal

Johannesburg, Thursday, 10th October 2013 – The 2014 Future Players Talent Search got under way with a fantastic turnout at the Rosina Sedibane School this past weekend when 650 learners from various schools in Tshwane South and the surrounding areas had the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills.

It was the start of a journey that organisers hope will see over 10 000 learners from around the province try their luck in the hope of being unearthed as a future star of the South African game.

A total of 13 coaches put the learners through their five different skills tests before deciding which had the talent to advance to the next round of the search, which will culminate at the Future Champions Gauteng International Tournament set for next March.

This weekend (Saturday, 12th October), the Future Players will move on to Hammanskraal Sports Complex in Hammanskraal for learners in the Tshwane North region, the second stop on what will be a six-month journey around the province.

The Future Players initiative, run in conjunction with the Gauteng Provincial Government, is open to youngsters aged 13 to 16, both boys and girls, who are assessed by the coaches over a number of disciplines.

Aside from the skills assessment that is used to identify the best of the young participants, all learners also take part in a 45-minute life-skills programme that is presented by representatives of Grassroot Soccer’s ‘Skillz’ programme which teaches about living a healthy, risk-free life.

Each set of trials for the 2013 Future Players Talent Search will get under way at 09h00 and finish at 15h00.

The best youngsters from the 15 districts in Gauteng will be selected for the final, to be staged at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville next year.

For further information, please visit:

http://facebook.com/futurechampions

http://twitter.com/FutureChampsU17

  • 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