Mark Abrahams posted on June 08, 2010 12:50
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Southampton Councillor Elizabeth Mizon watched over 180 young people from the south-east take part in the Southampton-hosted regional qualifier of the Kickz Cup 2010 – a national series of ootball tournaments which culminate in finals on the pitch at Old Trafford in Manchester and Pride Park in Derby.
Kickz, which is funded by the Premier League, the Metropolitan Police, The Football Foundation and The FA, uses the power of football and appeal of professional football clubs to engage young people who may otherwise be difficult to reach. Friday’s tournament was hosted by Saints in the Community and held at the Football Foundation funded Wide Lane Sports Complex in Southampton.
U14, U16 and U18 teams from Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton and Plymouth Kickz took part, with Portsmouth winning the U14s, Southampton the U16s and Brighton the U18s. Fair Play and Player of the Tournament awards for each age group were also handed out. The young people representing Saints were a credit to the Club with the under 16's team proving successful and are now through to the Regional Finals at Tottenham Hotspurs training ground. (pictured below is the triumphant under 16's team representing Saints).
The winners of each age group will now go forward to the Southern semi-finals to be held at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground on 16th May. The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Southampton Councillor Elizabeth Mizon said: “We need to get young people engaged in purposeful activities and this is what I have seen here today." The winners of each age group will now go forward to the Southern semi-finals to be held at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground during May.
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Southampton Councillor Elizabeth Mizon said: “We need to get young people engaged in purposeful activities and this is what I have seen here today.“Kickz is a great way to engage with young people and all of those I have met today are all really positive, polite and having a good time. They are really involved in what they are doing and had a real sense of engagement with their coaches. Southampton Football Club is so much part of the city here and it’s a real incentive for the young people to be involved with the tournament here today."The winners of each age group will now go forward to the Southern semi-finals to be held at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground on 16th May.
“Kickz is a great way to engage with young people and all of those I have met today are all really positive, polite and having a good time. They are really involved in what they are doing and had a real sense of engagement with their coaches. Southampton Football Club is so much part of the city here and it’s a real incentive for the young people to be involved with the tournament here today. In my time as Mayor I have met a lot of ‘solutions people’ - people that are making things better in the community and the people involved with this Kickz tournament today are a perfect example of that.”
The Kickz project in Southmapton operates in the Herefield distrcit of the city and delivers football, sports, street dance and djing workshops for young people aged 12-18 years. Over 200 young people have enaged in the scheme in the past 12 months. For further information on the Kickz project contact 0845 6889370.