Charity 5-a-Side Football Tournament 2008

Celebrating 300 Years with Your Guru

Football Tournament A Monumental Success

The Annual Charity Football Tournament is Back October 31st 2009: Call: 07931 873 396
E-mail: info@see-q.net
Download an application form here!

Saturday 1st November 2008.
The day started early, 7.00am to be precise. The volunteers from the Sikh Activity Group rose to prepare for the biggest indoor Sikh football tournament that this country has seen. Over seventy teams from all over the country gathered at Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton to showcase the very best football skills the Sikh community has to offer.

The tournament had been organised to commemorate the tri-centenary of the inauguration of theGuru Granth Sahib Ji as the everlasting Guru of the Sikhs. Accordingly after a brief registration, obligatory team photos and the all important pre-match meal of samosas washed down with hot sweet tea, the tournament began with a well received talk detailing how in 1708, in the town of Nanded, Maharashtra (India) Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth master of the Sikhs, passed on the guruship to the Shabad (Word) in the Sikh scriptures, Aadh Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and then ascended to Sach Khand (heaven).

Thereafter the unscripted drama that is football unfolded. The games were all played with the intensity accustomed to football matches on the big screen. Children in the under 12’s category displayed passion, vigour and emotion as they contested highly skilled games. This was replicated in the under 16’s and the open age competition where even though there was a lot at stake – the trophies on offer would look magnificent on even the most mundane of fireplaces – the spirit of the games was never in doubt.

The competitors living up to the Sikh ideals of fairness in battle and humility in victory.

The event was well supported by a multitude of sponsors throughout the local business community. Wolverhampton Football Club, one of the major partners, sent scouts to identify gifted and talented players. Concerted fund-raising efforts by the Sikh Activity Group including the production and distribution of the inaugural See-Q magazine to over 40,000 people, meant that significant funds have been raised for Promise Dreams and Wolves Aid. Volunteers from Promise Dreams, a Wolverhampton based charity dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of seriously ill and terminally ill children and their families, were on hand to sell raffle tickets and to lend their support for the event. As too were representatives from other community based organizations and representatives from the media.

Commendation must be given to all the staff at Aldersley Stadium who gave their full backing to the event.

After much sweat and sinew, coupled with generous helpings of chapattis, curries and rice pudding provided by the endeavours of the hard working volunteers at Nanaksar Sikh Gurdwara (Pleck), WIP ran out as winners in the under 12’s competition with Handsworth Boys showing sublime skill and end product in taking the accolade for the under 16’s title. The open age section was a hotly contested affair that saw an exceptional final between Akaal FC and ABD team A, with the lads from ABD A edging out as 3-1 winners.

An exhausting day ended with the announcement of raffle prize winners, and an awards ceremony for runners up, winners and man-of-the-tournament in all three categories. A memorable day was had for the hundreds that took part and watched.

All that is left is to ask, when and where will the next one be held?
by Mangal Singh