Coaches Praise Kumba City Mayor for Engaging Youths Through U15 Football Festival
By Esua Fabrino-Bryce, student on internship
During the finals of the Kumba City U15 Football Festival held on August 25 at GPS Field Kumba, youth football academies’ coaches expressed heartfelt gratitude towards Kumba City Mayor Gregory Mewanu for keeping the youths engaged throughout their holidays.
The coaches of the participating teams gathered to thank the City Mayor, who spearheaded the organization of this remarkable event.
On behalf of all the coaches of the youth football academies in Kumba, Coach Tilong Adolf addressed the City Mayor, saying, “We want to thank you for this wonderful initiative. It has been a long time since we experienced something of this magnitude in Kumba, and we do not take it for granted.” He continued, “We did not participate in this tournament solely because of the prizes. We are happy because you kept our children engaged.”
Coach Tilong Adolf further urged the City Mayor to organize such tournaments more frequently, especially during school breaks. “We are grateful for your support, not just for us, but for the kids. We want to say thank you, thank you, and thank you,” he added.
The tournament featured 12 teams competing for a top prize of 300,000 FCFA, with the second and third positions receiving 115,000 FCFA and 60,000 FCFA, respectively. Additional awards included Man of the Match, Best Player of the Tournament, Best Goalkeeper, Best Referee, Highest Goal Scorer, Best Coach, Participation, Best Fan Club, and Fair Play Team, each receiving 10,000 FCFA.
All the teams’ coaches presented gifts to the City Mayor as a token of appreciation for his efforts in organizing the competition.
In response to the coaches’ requests for more frequent events, Mayor Mewanu noted that the third-term holidays are the ideal period for such tournaments, as the first and second terms are less convenient for organizing successful competitions.
Mayor Mewanu assured the community of a “Bigger and Better” competition in the future, aiming to serve as a foundation for youths aspiring to play for renowned football clubs such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid FC, Manchester City, Arsenal, Kumba City FC, and our vibrant National Team.
The competition is a considered a major boost for youths in the Kumba municipality, as it helps to reduce idleness and preventing engagement in negative activities, thereby paving the way for a better future for both the youths and Cameroon as a whole.
