Airtel Tanzania Public Relations Manager Jackson Mmbando speaks to regional secretary generals and the media at the launch of Airtel Rising Stars Directive Seminar held at TFF boardroom in Dar es Salaam today
A cross section of regional secretary generals follow attentively rules and regulations governing Airtel Rising Stars tournament at directive seminar held at TFF conference room in Dar es Salaam today.
NATIONAL finals of the U-17 youth tournament Airtel Rising Stars will commence on July 2nd at the Karume Memorial Stadium in Dar es Salaam with defending champions Temeke having a daunting task as they confront their counterparts Kinondoni.
Speaking at the Airtel Rising Stars 2013 Directive Seminar held at the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) conference room in the city today, TFF football development officer Mr. Salum Madadi the tournament is scheduled to be held at regional level from June 15th to 29th.
The regions taking part in the Airtel Rising Stars football championships, boys category, this year round are Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke. Others are Morogoro, Mwanza and Mbeya with each region required to register six teams. Teams registration will run for ten days starting tomorrow June 2nd 2013.
On the girls front, Madadi named the participating regions as Tanga, Kigoma and Ruvuma and all the participating regions were duly represented at the directive seminar which deliberated, among other things on the rule and regulations governing the tournament. The draw held today covered the national tournament alone as the regions were required to plan for their respective fixtures on their own.
Girls teams that will meet in the curtain raiser of the national finals are the city dwellers Ilala and Kinondoni in a match that is expected to be tough but thrilling. In total, this year’s ARS national finals will bring together 12 teams, six of them boys.
Speaking during the launch of the directive seminar Airtel Tanzania Public Relations Manager Jackson Mmbando called on the secretary generals to be keen in identification of football talents in their respective regions for the tournament to get the best players who can give Tanzania good representation at ARS inter-country tournament. As in the previous years, some of the players will also be selected to take part in an international clinic to be held under the tutelage Manchester United coaches.
He underscored Airtel Tanzania’s commitment to continue sponsoring the youth tournament with a view to complement efforts being made by TFF to develop football in Tanzania. Earlier in his speech the secretary general of the Dar es Salaam Regional Football Association (DRFA), Msafiri Kondo called on the sponsors to improve the tournament by getting more regions to participate but upheld Airtel move to include girls in the tournament.