THE HISTORIC 20 YEARS EXISTENCE OF SASFA

THE HISTORIC 20 YEARS EXISTENCE OF SASFA

The SA Schools Football Association a bedrock of Youth Development and social cohesion has been in existence for the past 20 years after undergoing metamorphosis from unity stage when fragmented Schools Sport bodies from the previous order Education came together in 1994 to usher in Unity, Participation and Integrated Development under the aegis of the then USSASA. Football was part of the 25 active sporting codes. With the demise of USSASA Mother Body, USSASA Football then had to undergo change and was later known as the SA Schools Football Association.

Schooling, learning and teaching become ineffective when the umbilical cord between academia and extra- mural activities is cut. The natural process of schools being the honing ground for the holistic development of the child loses meaning since it has been proven that an active body produces excellent results. It is on this basis that SASFA continues to be catalyst in fostering effective learning and teaching, promoting the culture of education through sport. The creation of sound school football programmes seek to assist in this regard.

The era we live in today necessitates that together as a collective work hand in glove in assisting our future citizens to be organised, responsible to work as individuals as well as part of a collective team. The skills that the child learns in the field of play are guaranteed to help them when they are adults. For example when they gather from various schools, bonds of friendships are cemented and maybe relied upon in the real world at a later stage.

The SA Schools Football Association runs a number of programmes that seek to introduce all children of this country to enjoy participating in organised football whether recreational, motor coordination, developmental, competitive and to keep fit. The various partnerships that we have forged over the years have yielded positive and impact legacies for the participating schools and players alike. We have witnessed the upgrading of infrastructure of class rooms, buildings, sports combos, upgrade of security systems and some even went on to purchase vehicles to ferry learners to school tours, games etc.

We are very much proud of the history and relationship that we have fostered with SAFA, Department of Basic Education, Sport & Recreation South Africa, SASCOC, and our commercial partners since inception being KFC for the KFC Cup, Cadbury for Chappies Little League, MTN for the MTN u/16 Cup, loveLife Games, Spur Masidlale, our current sponsors being Danone South Africa for Danone U/12, Nestle for Milo Champs u/13, McDonald’s South Africa for the SASFA McDonald’s U/14 School League, Coca – Cola South Africa for the Copa Coca – Cola U/15 Cup, Metropolitan for the Metropolitan u/16 Cup and the Motsepe Foundation for the SANLAM Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.

Through the above partnerships and collaborations, SASFA programmes have given an opportunity to play an active role to many educators that served as officials in administration and technical aspect of the game, learners as participants and match officials, the lucky ones went on to ply their football skills in the National Junior Teams, PSL & NFD outfits some even made a mark in the various international tournaments and events.

Schools football is alive with possibilities

MANDLA ‘SHOES’ MAZIBUKO
PRESIDENT
SASFA

SOURCE: SA Schools Football Association (SASFA)