Situm kicks off Christmas activities with junior tourney

By LARRY ANDREW
A CHRISTMAS junior soccer tournament is underway at Situm Primary School in the Labuta local level government area of Nawaeb, Morobe.
The week-long tournament was kicked off by Papua New Guinea Football Association Education Centre director Edris Kumbruwah yesterday.
The tournament has attracted 18 teams, who are set to showcase their talent.
Out of the 18, nine teams are taking part in the Under-12 division whilst the remainder are battling it out in the U15 category.
The tournament got underway with an exhibition match between Dokoweng and Pataputi.
Kumbruwah said he was happy to attend the launching of the tournament.
He said children were the future of soccer in the country and encouraged everyone in the community to nurture the young footballers.
“We have started new programmes at the 11-Mile Academy Education Centre and we will be training anybody who wants to contribute in refereeing, coaching, management and volunteering,” Kumbruwah said.
“At the academy, there is a special programme for people like you and I like to see the best 12 coming out of Situm to attend the programme.
“I’ll make sure they bring some of you to spend three to four days with us and learn football.”
Tournament coordinator Nicholas Diram said the tournament was aimed at keeping children occupied in Situm.
Diram said most festive tournaments were organised for adults but this time, he decided to run something for the youngsters.
“They are children and we are trying to impart soccer among them,” he said.
“Therefore I do not want to see drunkards and drugs within the vicinity of the tournament. If we do that, we are bringing a bad influence upon the children.
“There is no police and army presence here, so therefore the success of the tournament is in the hands of the community living here.”