Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament: Promoting the socialization of sports

(Baonghean) - The joy, tears of joy, cheers from parents and local leaders rushing down to the field to shake hands and hug the young players to congratulate them... have created a vibrant atmosphere and unforgettable memories through each season of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament.

Delegates take souvenir photos with the winning teams of the 2016 season. Photo: Duc Dung

From a grassroots tournament, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament has become an annual provincial tournament taking place on the occasion of International Children's Day (June 1) and Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21). Over the past 20 seasons, the Organizing Committee has always strived to make the tournament a useful playground for teenagers and children, contributing to promoting the socialization of sports in the province, the development of Nghe An football and the whole country...

Having been involved in the Nghe An Newspaper Youth Football Tournament for many years, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuong - Head of Sports Affairs Department - Nghe An Department of Culture and Sports said: Over the past 20 years, the Nghe An Newspaper Youth Football Tournament has created a useful playground for teenagers and children in the whole province, creating human resources for the sports movement in the localities, and is a place to discover talented athletes not only for football but also for other high-performance sports such as sepak takraw, sepak takraw, athletics, martial arts... because those who are talented in football have the qualities for many other sports. Previously, some localities had made a thorough investment when participating in the tournament, such as Do Luong, Quynh Luu, Tan Ky, Vinh City... which later spread to Yen Thanh, Cua Lo Town, Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan, Town. Thai Hoa, Quy Hop... From this tournament, many talents were discovered, becoming famous football players such as: Cong Vinh, Cong Phuong, Hong Son, Trong Hoang... creating motivation and passion for teenagers and children in all regions to eagerly participate in the tournament and receive support from many parents.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuong, the important thing is that the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament has attracted the attention and participation of authorities at all levels, thanks to which many localities have organized tournaments from commune to district level to select personnel to participate in the tournament, creating motivation for the development of mass sports movements.

Comrade Pham Thi Hong Toan - Head of the Organizing Committee awarded prizes to good students and good soccer players. Photo: Duc Dung

Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh - General Director, Chairman of SLNA Football Club commented: The presence of leaders from the provincial to district, city and town levels as well as sponsors to watch and cheer, with timely rewards when the children achieved high results as well as encouragement when they did not win, has always created a joyful and close atmosphere between adults and children, showing the attention of leaders at all levels to the mass sports movement. From the attention of leaders at all levels, parents in particular and people in general are also willing to support the tournament. Many individuals and organizations, in addition to sponsoring the teams participating in the tournament, also spend money to build artificial turf fields and mini football fields to serve the needs of entertainment and practice in localities, promoting the football movement in particular and mass sports in general to develop more and more.

As a locality with a strong sports movement, Quynh Luu district annually organizes the district-level Youth and Children's Football Tournament. Quynh Luu's youth and children's teams have also won the Championship Cup at the Nghe An Newspaper Youth and Children's Football Tournament for many years. To kick off the 2017 season, Quynh Luu has begun selecting players for both youth and children's teams.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Kim - Deputy Director of Quynh Luu District Culture and Sports Center said: After many years of leading children to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament, I see that the tournament has more and more changes in format, attracting more sponsors, creating favorable conditions for football teams to participate in the tournament. Since the cooperation with SLNA Football Club, the tournament has improved its quality and created a competitive movement between units. Many localities have cooperated with SLNA Club to open more amateur football classes, creating conditions for children with a passion for football to practice.

Coach Nguyen Huu Thang awards players participating in the tournament. Photo: Duc Dung

In order for the Youth Football Tournament of Nghe An Newspaper Cup to spread more and more, it is impossible not to mention the enthusiasm of the sponsors. In addition to the main sponsor, Saigon Nghe Tinh Beer Joint Stock Company, which has participated since the first season, in recent years, the tournament has had the cooperation of many enterprises inside and outside the province such as: Golden City Joint Stock Company; Nghe An Agricultural Materials Joint Stock Company, Provincial Post Office, Intimex Nghe An, Mai Linh Nghe An, Ben Thuy Industrial and Commercial Bank, Trung Do Joint Stock Company, Hanoi Housing Investment and Development Joint Stock Company No. 30, Hoang Mai Cement, Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company, Children's Support Fund, Bong Dong Luc Joint Stock Company, TH Milk Group, CTGT 4 Construction Corporation... enthusiastically supporting the tournament.

Duc Dung