“Women’s football in South Africa is producing some shining stars and we believe the Stix Morewa Tournament is a great place for young talent to be recognised,” says Dr KOP Peter Matseke, CEO of the Clinix Health Group.
This week the South African Football Association, the Soweto Football Association, Clinix Health Group and special dignitaries, officially opened and announced the teams for this year’s Stix Morewa Tournament.
The tournament, initiated in honour of the father of football, Bra Stix Morewa, grows each year, with this year being no exception. “The 2016 tournament will once again be a brilliant platform for exposing and developing young talent, especially our up-and-coming female players. The fact that we are launching the tournament during Women’s Month seems especially apt,” says Matseke.
Banyana Banyana midfielder, Refiloe Jane, will be this year’s ambassador having started her career playing in the Stix Morewa Tournament. “Jane understands what it takes to work hard and achieve. We believe she will inspire young women looking at making a career of football,” says Phil Mogodi, the Chairman of the Soweto Football Association (SFA).
Played under the auspices of the Soweto Football Association (SFA), which is affiliated to SAFA, the three-month long Stix Morewa Tournament is split into three divisions: Under 11, Under 17 and Seniors and is open to all Sowetan SAFA-affiliated youth soccer teams.
This year 1098 teams are competing
Under 9 – 168
Under 11 – 200
Under 13 – 212
Under 15 – 232
Under 17 – 200
Senior teams – 56
Ladies teams – 32
Once again teams will compete in a knock out with various teams being eliminated in the different rounds, culminating in a semi-final and a final in November.
The Stix Morewa Tournament is one of the biggest football tournaments in the country and supports SAFA’s 2022 programme vision of developing the game in a more holistic way by not only focusing on what happens on the field but also on life skills, trying to develop the youth as holistic human beings.
“With 341 football associations in Soweto, we need to focus on technical skills, proper and improved administration, gender equality and the chance for SA to become a major player in the world of football. With 1 200 soccer teams in Soweto alone it is important to make sure we keep the momentum going and inspire young people to get involved,” says Mogodi.
He thanked the Clinix Health Group for its continued sponsorship of the event. “This sponsorship makes this tournament possible and through it the success stories we keep seeing such as Refiloe Jane, our ambassador.”
“Our goal this year is once again to inspire more women to play through schools, coaches and our communities. We are looking forward to a professional, fun and competitive tournament this year,” concludes Mogodi.
Fixtures are available on request email: thuntsanepeter@gmail.com