Deputy director of sports in the Ministry for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports Juliana Yasoda (L) presents wining trophy to Temeke boys’ soccer team captain Khalid Salum after his team defeated Mbeya by 3-1 goals at the Karume Memorial Stadium in Dar es Salaam last Sunday. (Photos courtesy of a correspondent)

Six players, three of them boys and as many girls, have been selected to join the Manchester United clinic to be held in Nairobi in August at the end of the Airtel Rising Stars tournament over the weekend in Dar es Salaam.

The ARS soccer tournament this time involved girls’ teams besides the boys’ ones from six regions.

Temeke and Mbeya boys’ and girls’ teams emerged champions respectively.

The international soccer clinic under the guidance of Manchester United coaching staff would also involve teams from the rest of the continent where the mobile telephone service provider operates.

The gender-balanced trio players are Jacqueline Gibson and Irene Bahisi from Arusha, Madeline Sylvester (Ilala), Abdul Seleman, Denis Richard and Paul Balama of the winning team, Temeke.

A total of 24 secondary school teams participated in this year’s tourney whose best players were selected to form combine teams for the huts ended national finals. The regions teams that competed in the finals were Lindi, Mbeya, Arusha, Temeke, Ilala and Kinondoni.

The regions were selected based on their impressive performance during last year’s national Secondary School Games (UMISSETA).

Former Manchester United striker South African Quinton Fortune launched this year’s ARS edition at Sea Cliff Hotel in Dar es Salaam last month.

The week-long tournament was also used to select a combined team that will represent Tanzania in an inter-continental tournament which will involve other 17 African countries.

Temeke boys thrashed Mbeya 3-1 in a competitive final match while Mbeya girls beat Arusha 1-0. Each of the champions got one million shillings worth of books, trophy, gold plated medals and certificates of recognition.

ARS football program is an initiative designed for the entire African continent aimed to provide a platform for upcoming soccer talents to showcase their skills to leading scouts, coaches and have an opportunity to develop further their football skills.

The programme is a joint partnership between Airtel and English Premiership Club Manchester United. This is the second year in a row for Airtel to support the tournament.

During the previous edition, Manchester United utilised its school coaching staff to conduct international football clinics in Tanzania, South Africa and Gabon.