Soccer Charity Cup

The Nelson Mandela University 3rd year Sport Management Students host the Soccer Charity Cup schools tournament annually. All proceeds from the tournament are donated to a charity chosen by the 3rd year students. The tournament attracts school teams from all over Nelson Mandela Bay. The aim of the tournament is to provide a practical learning experience for the students, promote soccer amongst the youth of Nelson Mandela Bay as well as to give back to the community.

Background to the event

The Soccer Charity Cup soccer tournament was started in 2002 by a group of third year sport management students from the former Port Elizabeth Technikon. The event is organised by the students as part of their sport management three module. The event is a great opportunity for the students to put their sport management knowledge into practice. In the past, the students have supported various charities such as the Association for Persons with Disabilities, The Aids Haven, Feeding schemes, Day cares and Babies Homes.

Details of the event

Boys and girls from the following age groups (U13, U16 and U19) are invited from the schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay area to enter the tournament. Depending on the number of entrants, a round robin tournament is usually played over a Friday afternoon and Saturday in the first semester. The schools are required to register their teams and provide proof of identity throughout the tournament. On average about 16 – 20 teams enter the tournament and the University soccer fields are used.

Benefits for the students

The practical learning opportunity that is created by organising the tournament is invaluable to the students. The students are organised in a committee and have different portfolios (Chairperson, Vice chairperson, Secretary, School liaison, Marketing, Media, Hospitality and Technical). The students have meetings and organise all spheres of the tournament. The lecturer is merely there to provide guidance when needed. On the days of the event, the students are assessed on the success of the tournament. The students then submit a detailed report after the tournament.

The students are required to write press releases for each significant step leading up to and after the tournament. The students are interviewed on radio and submit all information to the Algoa FM “What’s on Diary” web page. The students also prepare sponsorship proposals and seek sponsorship themselves for the tournament.

 

Soccer Charity Cup Gallery

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