JEDDAH, 26 March 2007 — With the support of Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed, the sixth annual Snickers Schools Tournament kicked off at the Ministry of Education Stadium in Jeddah yesterday.
More than 11,000 aspiring footballers from 700 schools across the Kingdom have been converging on the city to compete in the tournament. The players will be competing against each other to be part of the “Dream Team” that will receive specialized coaching and mentoring from the world’s most respected figures in the game.
Some players selected in the past tournaments for the Saudi National Team and are now part of some major sports clubs in the Kingdom.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education and through a partnership with ART that has exclusive rights to air the tournament.
Among those to have had their talent recognized by the panel of coaches was Hamad Al-Montashari, who took part in the Snickers Schools Tournament in 2002.
Al-Montashari, now a member of the Al-Ittihad football team, won the 2004 and 2005 AFC Champions Leagues. He was also declared the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2005.
According to Abdul Hakeem Hakeem, external relations and corporate affairs manager at Master Foods, the Snickers Schools Tournament is part of the company’s ongoing effort to get actively involved in developing national sports activities and discovering young talents in the Kingdom.
“The Snickers Schools Tournament is an opportunity for us to support the community at a grassroots level by helping sporting clubs and schools identify young talents and keep students healthy and active.
We are looking at identifying the future stars of the game and we believe this tournament sets the stage for talented young students to compete and engage in a healthier and more active lifestyle,” Hakeem told a press conference at the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel on Saturday night.
“The tournament, however, is not limited to finding superstars. It also gives an opportunity to young football fans to meet, communicate and be active in a safe and organized environment.
The students will not just learn how to improve their skills, but also how to work as a team,” Hakeem said.
