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The official shortlist was selected through an extensive process - involving more than 40 key industry figures across 8 days of intensive reviews; and will now go forward for consideration by the main judging panel who will decide the winners in each category.
The winners will be unveiled at the Sport Industry Awards taking place in the final week of May or early in June.
The Engen Youth Development Programme was nominated in the Development Programme of the Year category, amongst other competing brands. With higher entry numbers and an increasing quality of work year-on-year, reaching the shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards 2018 represents a stellar achievement.
Brought to you by Engen, South Africa’s leading petroleum brand*, the Engen Youth Development Programme comprising of the Engen Knockout Challenge and Engen Champ of Champs, are widely regarded as the most prestigious youth football tournaments in South Africa.
The Engen Knockout Challenge has grown from humble beginnings and is played in five cities across South Africa, namely: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg culminating with the regional champions playing-off for the national Championship at the Engen Champ of Champs.
Since inception in 2003, more than 30,000 aspiring young soccer players from all walks of life have participated in the Engen Youth Development Programme, with more than 181 Engen Knockout Challenge Alumni having gone on to play professional soccer in the PSL and abroad.
In 2017, the Engen Youth Development Programme secured an attendance of more than 20 local and international football scouts from as far as Holland, Belgium, France, Spain and Denmark thus providing a platform for the players to succeed, resulting in more than 11 players signing professional contracts in the months following the tournaments.
Innovations such as: Media training; Engen player information cards with biometric scanning; refuelling stations and team workshops delivered by experienced industry professionals, elevates the proficiency of the players in preparation for their future professional status.
The tournaments further assists with the training of match officials and administrators.
Engen ranks number 1 as the company that is seen as doing the most for soccer development in South Africa with 73% of people agreeing that because of Engen’s soccer sponsorships Engen is seen as a responsible company that cares. (stat supplied by BMI)
The Sport Industry Awards reward the greatest achievements across the entire business of sport, including the most outstanding and innovative work in marketing, PR, advertising, community investment and sponsorship.
Engen representative, Brad Bergh said, “I would like to thank all stakeholders for contributing to the success of the Engen Youth Development Programme. As with any sponsorship, it is key to get all stakeholders to embrace the programme.
Engen cares about the communities in which it operates and strongly believes in the power of football to uplift and inspire the youth,” says Bergh.
*As voted in the Sunday Times Top Brands and Sunday Times Generation Next surveys.