​“Kono’s Youth Development League is our designated nationwide starting point” - Sports for Empowerment Foundation Sierra Leone’s CEO Says

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson 

Desmond J. Paine, the Founder and Director of Sports for Empowerment Foundation Sierra Leone has on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 disclosed  that the foundation will on Sunday, 10th July, 2022 in Kono begin a Youth Development League in the Eastern Region District of Sierra Leone.

“Kono is our designated starting point because the League which will commence sooenest is the first pilot phase of our National Youth Development League Project that is tied to also improve access to formal education for children in Sierra Leone while developing their sporting talents particularly on football at their tender ages.

“Our foundations has been able to provide scholarships 200 pupils in Kono and many other Children engaged in the act of playing crossover in other places in Sierra Leone and the upcoming tournament will be a valuable addition to the work we’ve been doing in Kono since May this year,” he stated.

The said Youth Development League will bring together a total of twelve-(12) Under-14 teams in Kono that will be competing for the champion’s trophy in the one month long tournament that is expected to climax on August, 10 this year.

And that the format according to Mr. Paine “will see teams playing home and away matches to advance to the semis with overall winners and best looser standing to keep their hopes alive in the competition and in the first week of August, 2022 we will be conducting a three-day clinic for Grassroots coaches of the participating clubs that had previously benefited from the first training we organized for them last May.

“Aimed at becoming a nationwide Youth Development League that will encourage children to be attending schools and playing soccer likewise, the tournament themed: "Creating Better People Through the use of Education and Sports" will kick-off on Sunday will see the following twelve teams competing in the U-14 championship: Cosmos I & II, Soccer Boys, Soccer Lions, Kono Rangers, Young City Strikers, Shaw Football Club, Golden Soccer Academy, Motema Football Club, JC-Sports Academy and Mubarak Football Club, he assured.