Soccer World Cup 2010 is just four years away, and Sporting Chance after the tremendously successful 15 years of the national Calypso Beach Cricket festival have once again discovered a way to spot raw talent and natural flair, but this time for soccer.

One only has to mention names like Pele, Ronaldo and Ronaldihno to immediately think of Brazil, and of course soccer legends. Here in South Africa, as in Brazil, 80% of our kids kick some form of ball around almost as they can walk. The difference is that in Brazil talent is spotted by scouts as the kids play on the beach, and developed from there.

Introducing KHULANI BEACH SOCCER – “Khulani” being the Xhosa word meaning “to grow and prosper” – and just as in Brazil – is played on the beach. In the spirit of Human Right’s Day, Tuesday 21st March 2006, Sporting Chance, in association with Standard Bank, staged the second annual Khulani Beach Soccer festival. Over 250 participants from the surrounding sport enthusiastic Townships and Cape flats were transported to Sunrise Beach, Muizeneburg to play THE GAME. After pulling on their Khulani t-shirts and sipping on their Milo refreshment the players were divided into age groups and teams as they headed down onto the shoreline to the demarcated pitches to play this adapted game of conventional soccer.

Talent scouts from AJAX Cape Town were also on the beach to assist with games, have fun with the players and spot the next Doc Khumalo, Bennie McCarthy or Lucas Radebe.

After a morning of fierce soccer competition with each team of eight competing in their respective age group round robins, the finals were held and the excited champions emerged. At the end of the day’s festivities the group gathered for the “vibe” session which included thank you’s to the sponsors, a hard hitting educational message from representatives of loveLife and the SAPS. Then it was off the beach through to gather one’s lunch and a goodie bag before heading home.

Standard Bank representatives were present on the day and hopefully, with the added financial support from these introductory sponsors, Sporting Chance can extend this project throughout South Africa.