Omaheke bag Galz & Goals U/17 championship
NFA – The Omaheke Region was crowned Champions of the NFA Galz & Goals U/17 National Championship after defeating Windhoek 3-1 on penalties, after a goalless draw on Saturday at the NFA Technical Centre in Katutura.
The Championship saw 224 players from 14 teamsfrom 11 regions in action.
The semifinals were played between Windhoek and Karasburg in Pool A while Pool B saw Gobabis take on Keetmanshoop.
Goals from Diana Kock and Aletta Kock saw Windhoek defeat Karasburg 2-0 and Gobabis booked their place in the finals with a goal from Tjamunene Ndjavera. Gobabis Gloveslady, Uetuu Tjohoreka scooped the Goalkeeper award of the tournament while Joana Lee Simboiya from Karasburg who scored four goals in total walked away with the top goal scorer award.
The Albertha “Chicken” Dawes Award was awarded to Windhoek midfielder, Michane Vries who has displayed great personal and leadership skills on and off the pitch.
The Albertha Dawes Award celebrates the life of former footballer Albertha “Çhicken” Dawes who passed away in 2015 from a brain tumor. Chicken was a great player who carried the Galz & Goals from a tender age of 8 and eventually made her mark in the women senior national team. The Dawes family received a groceries voucher worth N$1 000, which was sponsored by the NFA Galz & Goals programme.
The Gobabis coach Jeraldo Eiseb won the Best Coach award; the Eenhana team from Ohangwena won the Fair Play award while the Physically Active Youth group from Katutura won the Best Health Booth award, while Luderitz in the //Kharas region won the Healthy Lifestyle award.
The Opening ceremony was grazed with the presence of Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and National Services, Agnes Tjongarero; the Japanese Ambassador to Namibia, Hideaki Harada; and the UNICEF Representative to Namibia, Rachel Odede and the chairperson of the NFA normalization committee Hilda Basson-Namundjebo.
Rachel Odede placed great emphasis on the importance of shaping the Namibian Girl Child. “There are many success stories that emanate from the Galz & Goals programe. Some girls are now representing Namibia in the women’s national team, some are playing professional in America while others have completed their tertiary education. This is what Galz & Goals is all about – to inspire young girls to dream and reach for the stars – build the self-esteem of adolescents, increase demand for psych –social services, high retention in school and reduction in risky sexual behaviors – ultimately to excel in everything they do”.
The NFA Galz & Goals Championship has become a prestigious event that is greatly supported by key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, UNICEF, UNAIDS and FIFA.
