With five provinces having successfully staged the provincial finals and the KIA Street Soccer provincial champions now confirmed, it’s exciting times, just two weeks ahead of the festival finale taking place in Dobsonville Soweto on 14th September.
It’s been an incredibly thrilling two weeks that began in Cape Town and saw a passionate team from Mitchell’s Plain being crowned the provincial champions. A week later we arrived in Port Elizabeth where New Brighton was victorious. That trip was followed by a trip to sunny KZN, where defending champions Marianhill put up a brilliant show and played exhilarating soccer to defend the KZN title.
This past week all roads led to the remaining Gauteng and the Free State provincial finals. Katlehong hosted the Gauteng event and used the home soil to their advantage, in producing skilled soccer that saw them earn the Gauteng bragging rights.
On Friday we concluded the provincial finals stage with a bang in the Free State. Allanridge came out on top, after a lengthy and exciting final against Welkom. The occasion was graced by SAFA vice president Dr. Danny Jordaan, the man who played an instrumental role in bringing the 2010 FIFA World Cup to SA. Dr. Jordaan praised and expressed his approval of the KIA Street Soccer programme, especially about the lasting impact that such an initiative had on the various communities throughout the country. He was accompanied by fellow SAFA officials, who all showed great excitement after witnessing the round robin matches leading up to the semi finals.
Though each provincial final contained different characteristics, the core elements of excitement, high emotions and continuous activity were similar throughout. We would like to single out the incredible support that the coaches gave to each and every participant; this enthusiasm has contributed tremendously to making KIA Street Soccer a success.
And finally to our sponsors who deserve all the praise in the world… KIA Motors for embracing the programme since its conception in 2010 and playing a critically important role in continuing the legacy; Mille for providing top class entertainment in all the provinces, and supplying the five final teams with their incredible champion packs; Kruger Bets CSI for becoming a part of the experience and supplying all the participants with refreshment bottles; our logistical partner Dawn Wing for assisting in cordoning off roads with their yellow vans and getting their staff involved in the programme; our loyal PSL partners Ajax Cape Town and Amazulu for engaging with the participants and lending appropriate support; our media partners Good Hope FM, Ukhozi FM and Super Sport Let’s Play, for the incredible job in getting the word out to the public at large; our product sponsors Bokomo for the energizing bars to kick start the day and McDonald’s for giving all the participants a special McMeal treat; our accommodation partner Town Lodge offered exceptional services throughout the programme and ensured that the Sporting Chance team, as well as the participants were comfortably accommodated in all the five provinces.
Each of our sponsors played their respective parts in the execution of the programme, and Sporting Chance cannot thank you enough for being champions, and sharing in our ongoing and expanding vision.
