JKF youth cup: Organisers rate tournament high

The planned JKF youth cup being organised by Ekiti state football association has been described as no ordinary football competition by the organising committee led by Kolawole Owoseni.

According to a statement released by the FA media officer, Ayodeji Okunuga, the competition was not to be played on league format, but as a tournament, which is expected to feature 16 under-15 boys representing the 16 local government areas in Ekiti state and eight female teams.

The 16 male teams will be divided into four groups of four teams each. The teams shall be involved in a round robin format and with the top two teams qualifying for the quarterfinal, while the female teams will be divided into two groups that will be comprised of four teams each with two top teams from each group qualifying for the semi finals.

Importantly, too, he remarked that the inclusion of the female category was expected to kick start the development of female football in Ekiti state.

The release also disclosed that matches shall be played only on Fridays and Sundays, while the quarterfinal matches would commence at the end of the first term holidays in December.

“It is important to state clearly that this platform was created for the purpose of identifying talents in the U- 15 age group for boys and the plan is to scout budding talents who will automatically form the state U-15 team that would later be camped to train every fortnight with the sole objective of ensuring that the boys are well groomed for a football career,” Owoseni disclosed.

“Hopefully in two to three years, Ekiti state should be able to contribute to the Nigeria National U17,” he enthused.

He went ahead to appreciate the proposed partners of the tournament, including the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, ALGON Ekiti state chapter, the Ekiti State House of Assembly, SUBEB and other MDAs in Ekiti state.

“Special thanks goes to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and our most sincere gratitude to her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, for her unalloyed support for youth development, most especially, the girl child,” he said.

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