Football, netball tourney for schools in north

OLD Mutual Namibia and the Ministry of Sport on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding on the Far North Soccer and Netball Championships, which was introduced last year.

An Old Mutual official and co-ordinator of the championship, Revonia Kahivere, said the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Peingondjabi Shipoh, and Old Mutual Namibia’s corporate marketing executive, Barbara Kahatjipara, signed the memorandum in Windhoek on behalf of their institutions. Kahivere said Old Mutual Namibia pledged to sponsor the Championships through next year.Old Mutual Namibia introduced the Championships for all schools in the north-central regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto.The schools first take on each other at regional level, after which the regional winners battle it out in the semi-finals and finals.This year’s semi-finals and finals will once again take place at Oshakati Independence Stadium tomorrow.Kahivere said Old Mutual Namibia was committed to conducting business as a responsible corporate member of the society that is mindful of the social and economic development needs of the community in which it operates.”We want to demonstrate our commitment to the holistic development of the nation, not just focusing on developing the mind, but also to develop Namibians physically and adding to their general health,” Kahivere said.Meanwhile, the regional sport officer at Oshakati, Sunday Haitembu, says four winning football and netball school teams will compete in Saturday’s games.Haitembu said in football, Ponhofi Senior Secondary School (SSS) will represent the Ohangwena region, Mweshipandeka SSS will represent the Oshana region and Nehale SSS and Ruacana SSS will represent the Oshikoto and Omusati regions respectively.The netball semi-finalists are Eengedjo SSS (Ohangwena), Gabriel Taapopi SSS (Oshana), Oshikoto SSS (Oshikoto) and Nakayale Combined School (Omusati).The draw will take place at the stadium tomorrow before the matches.Over 48 schools from all over the far northern regions are said to have taken part in the netball and soccer playoffs, which were launched at Oshakati in July.The winning schools will take home trophies, sport outfits and computers on top of the N$2 000 they have already earned by winning the regional playoffs.The netball and football runners-up will win balls, nets and cash prizes of N$1 000, while the third-placed teams will each walk away with N$500.Nehale SSS are the defending champions in football, while the Udjombala Junior Secondary School from Ohangwena, which failed to reach the semi-finals this time around, were the netball champions last year.It is the second time Old Mutual is sponsoring the Far North School Soccer and Netball Championships.Kahivere said Old Mutual Namibia pledged to sponsor the Championships through next year.Old Mutual Namibia introduced the Championships for all schools in the north-central regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto.The schools first take on each other at regional level, after which the regional winners battle it out in the semi-finals and finals.This year’s semi-finals and finals will once again take place at Oshakati Independence Stadium tomorrow.Kahivere said Old Mutual Namibia was committed to conducting business as a responsible corporate member of the society that is mindful of the social and economic development needs of the community in which it operates.”We want to demonstrate our commitment to the holistic development of the nation, not just focusing on developing the mind, but also to develop Namibians physically and adding to their general health,” Kahivere said.Meanwhile, the regional sport officer at Oshakati, Sunday Haitembu, says four winning football and netball school teams will compete in Saturday’s games.Haitembu said in football, Ponhofi Senior Secondary School (SSS) will represent the Ohangwena region, Mweshipandeka SSS will represent the Oshana region and Nehale SSS and Ruacana SSS will represent the Oshikoto and Omusati regions respectively.The netball semi-finalists are Eengedjo SSS (Ohangwena), Gabriel Taapopi SSS (Oshana), Oshikoto SSS (Oshikoto) and Nakayale Combined School (Omusati).The draw will take place at the stadium tomorrow before the matches.Over 48 schools from all over the far northern regions are said to have taken part in the netball and soccer playoffs, which were launched at Oshakati in July.The winning schools will take home trophies, sport outfits and computers on top of the N$2 000 they have already earned by winning the regional playoffs.The netball and football runners-up will win balls, nets and cash prizes of N$1 000, while the third-placed teams will each walk away with N$500.Nehale SSS are the defending champions in football, while the Udjombala Junior Secondary School from Ohangwena, which failed to reach the semi-finals this time around, were the netball champions last year.It is the second time Old Mutual is sponsoring the Far North School Soccer and Netball Championships.