Clubs join lifestyle initiative

The National Weekender
SPORTS
A player from the Kamayufa Gamukes in action during the tournament final in January.

By ROBINSON LEKA
OFFICIALS and club presidents of the Lower Mimanalo Rugby League tournament in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, officially signed a five-year sponsorship deal last month with sponsor I Can Sports Trademark marking a new partnership for the tournament.
I Can Sports founder and manager Andrew Hama told The National that the sponsorship will focus on the awareness of healthy lifestyles with an am emphasis on preventing common illnesses due to poor eating and living habits.
“The signing of the Five Years Sponsorship Deal will continue to remind the people of Eastern Highlands Province and Papua New Guinea on the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles and healthy eating diets to prevent deaths related to lifestyles diseases,” he said.
“Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancers of the digestive tract, the liver and lungs as well as the ailment of the heart are on the rise in Papua New Guinea so I Can Sports is committed to raise awareness and education as a responsible citizen through its five-year sponsorship deal.”
Hama added that the deal would also assist in promoting local rugby league prospects from the Mimanalo area to bigger leagues in the province through the creation of development prorgammes for players to progress.
“The sponsorship will also create exposure and open doors for young rural rugby talents to have the opportunity to get selected to play for inter-city rugby league clubs in PNG direct from the rural village level.
“There are many untapped rural rugby league talents out there and I Can Sports is keen on creating that opportunity and pathway for these young people to get them exposed to the rugby league world at the national and international level.”
The official signing of the Five Years Sponsorship Deal commencing from 2022–2026 will see the Lower Mimanalo rugby league tournament receive funding support from I Can Sports and its partners to sponsor the rugby league tournament every year for the next five years.
“Lower Mimanalo Rugby League Tournament season for 2021-2022 was to test the waters with a sponsorship package of K24, 000.00 in cash prize monies including consolation prizes and awards for best rookie players, including prize for the player of the tournament.

Andrew Hama (middle) holding the tournament’s five-year sponsorship plan at the Rothmans Oval.

“Only twelve Teams participated in the six-week tournament for the round robin matches, preliminary finals and the grand finale.
“The winning grand final team Kamayufa Gamukes received K7, 000.00, the losing grand final team Hegu Brothers received K5, 000.00 and the team on third placing Sapsap Eagles received K3, 000.00 in prize monies while the other nine participating teams received K1, 000.00 each as token of appreciation for their time and effort to participate in the tournament.
Hama said the prize monies as well as the upcoming seasons for the tournament was geared towards discipline amongst players at the local level while improving the standard of the game in the Goroka district.
“The prize money has set new standards for rugby league in the Goroka area with the aim of motivating young players to discipline and respect themselves, train and exercise well and to showcase their best rugby league talents and skills in the rugby league tournament.
“The Five Years Sponsorship Deal 2022-2026 will fund 16 teams for the A-grade, B-grade and women’s divisions.
“It will also assist in the ground preparation for three rugby league fields, full-set jerseys for the 16 registered clubs, grand-final prize monies for the clubs.
“I Can Sports Trademark sponsorship of the Lower Mimanalo Rugby League Tournament in Goroka falls under the organizations community service obligation and is proud to acknowledge its partners and stakeholders who have supported the tournament through cash and in-kind extending their organization’s support towards the Lower Mimanalo people of Goroka District.
“We wish to thank the National Gaming Control Board, Office of the Prime Minister of PNG, Telikom Foundation, Digicel Foundation, Brian Bell Foundation, PNG Ports Corporation, National Fisheries Authority, Coca Amatil PNG Ltd, Datec PNG Ltd, Post Courier, The National Newspaper, Simon Sia of Bintagor Trading, Goroka MP Aiye Tambua, , Yomba Kisim Piksa and Pilai Piksa Photography for all your collective community support and leadership.
“Lifestyle diseases have been a leading cause of death in the country and many of the country’s productive workers between the age of 35 and 50 have died over the years.
“For a fledging economy such as PNG, this cannot be good news because it means more and more of our brightest and the best talents are succumbing to preventable diseases and thus living voids in experience and quality in the nation’s educated and skilled workforce.
“Promoting of healthy lifestyles and healthy eating diets are linked to PNG’s Vision 2050 for a healthy and wealthy PNG by 2050 which places I Can Sports Trademark as a leader in driving the awareness and education under its sports trademark through a collective and inclusive approach with the engagement of key partners and stakeholders.”