Girls schools football to be developed in big way

By Leslie Fernando

SOCCER: Sri Lanka Schools Football Association (SLSFA) will draw up a football development programme during the year 2008 with the assistance from the Ministry of Education together with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.

Upali Silva, Secretary SLFA said that normal tournaments in four age groups will be worked off. In girls schools and mixed schools, there are number of projects started to develop girls football in a big way. There were number of tournaments conducted for under-15 girls last year. To improve the girls football further the association have decided to conduct tournaments for the under-13, under-15, under-17 age groups.

The under-17 boys and girls tournaments will be worked off from February to March, under-15 boys and girls tournaments will be conducted April to May, under-13 boys and girls tournaments from June to July. The under-19 boys tournament in three divisions, one, two and three will be played October - November.

The first will be the Asian Under-14 (Boys) Football Tournament in Pakistan in May. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka will be the main sponsor for this tournament and all selection matters will be handled by them.

The under-15 Asian Schools Football Tournament will be held in Malaysia in August and the under-19 Asian Schools Tournament will be played in Singapore in September. The Sri Lanka Schools Football Association will be in charge of the two tournaments.