A Freedom Day soccer tournament in Westlake drew strong community support as 10 teams competed in cold and wet conditions on Monday 27 April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event formed part of efforts to steer young people away from gangsterism and create positive opportunities through sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Organiser Brendon Kindo said the turnout exceeded expectations, with more teams asking to join after matches had already started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe had a lot of community members and outsiders on the field, watching the games through the cold, wet weather,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kindo said the initiative achieved its purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe achieved what I was planning to do, to attract youngsters, keep them busy and show them there is another positive way of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the response from players and spectators confirmed the event\u2019s impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople kept asking when the next one will happen. That tells me we are on the right track to keeping youngsters off the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Westlake Stars claimed the title after fighting back from a goal down to win the final 2-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey were down 1-0 and then something changed, maybe they drank Red Bulls, but they came back strong,\u201d Kindo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the positive atmosphere stood out throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe vibe was totally cool, very positive, and people were respectful of one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kindo added that one team initially reacted negatively after an early elimination but later rallied behind the remaining matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the beginning they were negative, but later they became like cheerleaders. That was a nice shift to see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the tournament\u2019s success, Kindo said organising the event alone proved difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe biggest challenge was doing everything on my own. People who said they would help did not show up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He remained on site from early morning until 19:30 with only two volunteers assisting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere were no floodlights, so I had to use car lights to shine on the goalposts when it got dark.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said future tournaments would need stronger planning and more support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI need more human resources and better structure so we do not end so late again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kindo plans to build on the momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI will do it again. I am even looking at netball next and building something more consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said interest from potential sponsors and partners was already growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI received a message from someone willing to assist with prize money, and I am meeting another person who wants to get involved. That is very positive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ward 71 councillor Carolynne Franklin said the City of Cape Town supports the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said youth development in the ward currently focuses on partnerships in Westlake, including programmes involving Westlake Primary School and the Ubuntu Soccer Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Franklin said a fully funded learn-to-swim programme also benefits junior pupils through partnerships with the Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology and the AquaAzurra Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Franklin said the Westlake Sports Field forms part of the City\u2019s R50 million Urban Liveable Waterways Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said vandals damaged the original turf, irrigation system and change rooms before her term in office. Goalposts and equipment also face regular theft and vandalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She added that changes to national environmental legislation have affected the site\u2019s use as a formal sports facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite this, the City continues to support local sport through funded events and equipment donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These include resurfacing the netball court and providing bibs, cones, balls, whistles, refreshments and prize money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Franklin said officials are also exploring further upgrades, including a possible five-a-side soccer pitch in partnership with a private NPO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Westlake\u2019s Freedom Day soccer tournament united youth and residents, with strong turnout and growing support for sport-driven efforts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":301491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"77","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"3","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"1","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"1","article_feature_type":"normal","article_main_image_caption":"A Freedom Day soccer tournament in Ward 71, Westlake, drew strong community support as 10 teams competed in cold and wet conditions on Monday 27 April.Photo:Supplied","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"NAMHLA MONAKALI","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"headline dummy text","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"WnmWestlake_5May","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":["WnmWestlake_5May_P1"],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[8389,9412,9122,9179],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-301490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-school-sports","tag-ward-71","tag-westlake","tag-youth-development"],"yoast_head":"\n