Goroka Members Cup to kick off next month

By ZACHERY PER
THE Third annual Goroka Members Rugby League Challenge is set to kick off early next month at the Sir Danny Leahy rugby league ground.
Chairman of Members Cup Rugby League Challenge Organising committee Maxie Roida (pictured) confirmed preparations were at an advanced stage to host the competition that would attract 17 local level government council wards in the Goroka district.
Six women’s rugby league teams from the district were also included in the challenge.
“One of the main highlights of the challenge is the inclusion of ‘Golden Oldies’ to include former rugby league greats from the district,” Roida said.
“Some of them are former Kumul Leslie Hoffman and Sam Karara as well as regional representatives Mathew Inapero, Elison Ketauwo, Henry Ame, Ivan Mosoka and others who came out from Lahanis team,” he said.
Roida said the purpose of staging the Members Cup challenge was to bring together youths from all corners of Goroka district to pass on the message that sports was an important sctivity that had a big role to play in their community.
He said it helped keep youth occupied and off the streets as well as giving them a worthwhile activity to get involved with.
He said Goroka MP Bire Kimisopa, who had initiated the concept in 2014, had given K70,000 that year and then K90,000 last year.
He said MP Kimisopa had committed to giving K100,000 for this year’s Members Cup challenge.
“Last year we had 18 senior men’s teams and four women’s teams and the winners walked away with K5000. This year we hope to increase the number of teams and increase the prize money for the winners, runners-up and finalist,” he said.
Roida thank Kimisopa for backing the initiative which he started adding the youth were always an important consideration in any community.
For details on the competition, Roida can be contacted on 7386 9247.