A team of young athletes from Eldorado Park and Soweto has left South Africa to compete in a continental Under-13 flag football tournament in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Eagles squad, made up of 10 players and three coaches, will represent South Africa at the NFL Flag Africa Tournament from July 8 to 11, where they will face young teams from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt.
Gauteng Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko Nkomo-Ralehoko met the team at OR Tambo International Airport before their departure, congratulating the players on their achievement and encouraging them to fly the South African flag high.
“Go and make South Africa proud. You have already proven that with hard work, discipline and determination, anything is possible,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The team earned its place in the tournament after winning the Under-13 division of the Youth American Flag Football League. Their success has been hailed as a proud moment for Eldorado Park, a community often associated with social challenges but now celebrating a story of hope, discipline and sporting excellence.
City of Johannesburg Speaker Margaret Arnolds said the achievement showed what young people can accomplish when they are given opportunities and support.
“These young athletes are showing the country and the continent what our community is capable of,” she said.
The Eagles form part of the Come Back Missions Youth Development Initiative, which is funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development. The programme focuses on awareness, prevention and early intervention for young people, using sport and community-based activities to steer youth away from crime, substance abuse and other social risks.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said sport remains one of the most effective ways to keep young people positively engaged while building confidence, teamwork and purpose.
Flag football is the non-contact version of American football and is one of the fastest-growing youth sports globally. The Nairobi tournament, hosted through the NFL’s global flag football programme, will also feature men’s and women’s national flag football teams.
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