Liberia: U-13 Milo Football Tournament kicks off
By Peterking Quaye – Milo, a brand of Nestle, has launched the 1st edition of the annual youth football tournament – dubbed ‘Milo U-13 Football Tournament 2012 –Liberia to select Liberia’s representative for this year’s Milo Africa U-13 Football Tournament in Ghana.
The 2012 African U-13 championship will be hosted by Ghana have 8 teams representing Nestle –Milo brands in these countries. Liberia’s inclusion this year is an indication of Liberia joining the bigger youth soccer development program of Nestle in Africa ,as well huge winning prizes for the winning teams According to Mr. Aboubacar Camara ,Business Development Manager –Nestle (Liberia ) .
Mr. Aboubacar Camara, Business Development Manager, Beverages, Nestle –Liberia disclosed that this in Monrovia on Monday said that the company has decided to extend the frontiers of sponsorship of sporting activities to football in order to develop the game. He reiterated the Company’s commitment to the development of young people through sports and academic pursuits.
He stated that the product ‘Milo’ is no stranger to sports with the primary reason being its benefit as a supplement to supply energy to the body. Nestle focus has always been to encourage and support initiatives at the grassroots level and they view the tournament as one such programme that will assist in pointing young players towards a more rewarding future in the game.
Mr. Camara, who advised the pupils to do their best in the competition, said it was the intention of Milo to build the champion in them before they leave for Accra next year. In an interview with the press at the opening at the Slipway field in Monrovia.
In all an estimated 300 schools in Montserrado County, the tournament has four zones with Slipway, VOA 1, D-Tweh field, Stephen Tolbert Filed and the ATS will be the host venue for all the matches whilst ATS will be the venue for the grand final .The tournament will feature school like Slipway field, Games will run from Monday 5th March to Friday 16th March, 2012 and will be at the listed venue.
Nestle is sponsoring , the said team that emerges champion in the competition will be the beneficiary of the tournament as the players will be camped for time so that they will understand themselves before the Ghana 2012 African U-13 championship . We want to give a platform to Liberian students to see that their ambitions are realized”, he said. In all teams will come from South Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Mauritius, Ivory Coast and Niger.
According to over $1million is being expended in the tournament which carries a first prize of $1,000 US Runner-up-$700 US , 3rd place-$500 US and other consolation prizes from Milo as well prizes will also be awarded to outstanding individual performers.
Also speaking at the occasion, Representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Commonly known as Navaro, he said that the gesture was to make sure that Liberian children get to the pick and enjoy what other children in other countries enjoy. This will offered students the opportunity to give back to the society this time through sports, but reminded that they’ve been involved in the support for outstanding academic achievements and other areas that they deemed beneficial to the development of the entire society.
He thanked the organizers for selecting Milo to be the major sponsor of the competition and called on them to ensure that the tournament is run in accordance with the rules and regulations that govern the sport, while emphasizing that discipline should also be a high priority during the month long event.
Many of the school which turns for the Zone A were seen excited and after the parade on the principal streets of Monrovia before heading to the field for the opening match. The games are being implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Education and the Inter-School Sports Association.
