Zahira Super 16 Soccer 7s on 18 Oct
The Past Prefects’ Association of Zahira College Colombo will stage the Zahira Super 16 Soccer 7s for the 10th consecutive year on 18 October from 8:30 a.m. onwards at the Zahira College Grounds in Maradana.
The tournament will be held under the banner ‘Festival of Festival’. This is an inter-school invitational seven-a-side football tournament approved by the Ministry of Education and recommended by the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association.
The main sponsor of the tournament Pyramid Wilmar Ltd. CEO O.H. Sulaiman (second from left) handing over the sponsorship checque to PPA President Nimnaz Rameez (second from right) and Principal of Zahira College Trizviiy Marikkar (third from left). Project Chairman Farizan Marso (first from right) and Project Secretary Rinaz Rafaideen (first from left) are also present
The tournament’s Advisory Committee will consist of officials who are experts in the local and foreign football arena. The competition has been conducted annually from 2005 with the objective of “adding values to youth football in Sri Lanka.”
As a celebration of its 10th year, the Zahira Super 16 Soccer 7s will feature an inter-class football tournament and celebrity football match. The inter-class football tournament was held on 13 September at the Zahira grounds with the participation of more than 600 students.
The celebrity football match, powered by Li-Ning, will be held on 8 October at the college grounds at 4.00 p.m. between the All Stars and Cricket Stars. The Cricket Stars team will be led by national cricketer Mahela Jayawardene and comprise his former national teammates Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Upul Chandana and a few others. The All Stars team will lineup with popular personalities from rugby, soccer, business, art, the media etc.
The main Zahira Super 16 Soccer 7s will be start on a league basis of four groups. Based on placing in the first round, teams will be drawn into four categories in the second round, namely Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield Championship.
The Cup winners will be given a cash prize of Rs.50,000 and total cash rewards and awards worth more than Rs. 500,000 will be on offer among participants. Also this is the first soccer tournament in the country which offered such cash prizes and awards at school level.
Pyramid Willmar CEO O.H. Sulaiman has been the tournament’s main sponsor for the past 10 years. The participating schools are Al – Aqsa College, Kinniya, De Mazenod College, Kandana, Holy Cross College, Kalutara, Isipathana College, Lumbini College, Manippai Hindu College, Jaffna, Maris Stella College, Negombo, Nalanda College, Royal College, Colombo, St. Benedict’s College, St. Joseph’s College, St. Mary’s College, Kegalle, St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, Wesley College, Zahira College, Colombo and Zahira College, Mawanella.
More details on the competition can be obtained from the Project Chairman Farizan Marsoon on 0776314123 or by logging on to the Past Prefects’ Association’s website www.ppazahira.com.
