The 2013 COPA Coca-Cola youth football tournament gets underway on Sunday in Muhanga District with 60 teams, 30 for boys and another 3 for girls representing all 30 districts in the country expected to take part. According to the sponsors and organisers, the Federation of Sports in Schools, unlike in the past when the championship was for players aged 17 year and under, this year’s edition will be competed for by players of age 15 years and under. After today’s big kickoff at Stade Muhanga, subsequent matches in the next five weeks, will be played across the country. The idea of moving from U-17 to U-15 is largely to see “much younger teams compete for the COPA Championship trophy” and a slot at the annual international training camp for Africa, which is based in South Africa. “Our transition from U-17 to U-15 will allow us to harness talent from a younger age, giving them a chance of being picked by local football academies and clubs,” Bralirwa’s Marketing Director, Jan Van Velven said at a press conference on Friday. Similar to the past three editions, this year’s competition is open to school teams with each district being equally represented by both boys and girls’ teams. During the preliminary rounds, each team will play a number of games to qualify for the national finals which will be played on the weekend of May 25-26. Some of the products of COPA Coca-cola championship include; Emery Bayisenge, Yannick Mukunzi and Jacques Cyubahiro, all currently playing for league champions APR FC. Two of the finest talents to come from last year’s edition, Djuma Nizeyimana and America Kalisa, have both been drafted by Vision FC. Each year, COPA Coca-Cola gives hundreds of promising young players an opportunity to refine their skills through intra and inter-country competition and exposure to world-class football. “Last year, the players participated in an exciting international camp in under the guidance of Chelsea FC Foundation coaches, who shall continue to work with us this year,” noted the Marketing Manager of Bralirwa, Martine Gatabazi. This year, Coca-Cola has injected a total of Rwf45 million, of which Rwf30m is in form of materials and Rwf15m in cash. Lycee de Kigali are the defending champions.
