Defending champions of maiden CalBank Super League, Havedzi Mighty Warriors in the Keta Municipality have demonstrated that they are kings of beach soccer clubs in Ghana, by winning another trophy.
The Mighty Warriors displayed beach soccer artistry when they beat their final opponent, Teshie United 2-0 to become champions of yet another novel competition, Beach Soccer Club Union Tournament 2021 held at Emancipation Beach, Keta.
The maiden edition of the tournament had eight registered clubs take part in the two-day event including African Club Champions, Sunset Sports Keta who later opted out at the semi-finals stage.
The Mighty Warriors went home with a cash prize of GH¢1,500.00, gold medals, and souvenirs from Ghana Beach Soccer parent sponsor, CalBank.
The first and second runner-ups took home GH¢1,000.00, silver medals and souvenirs, and GH¢500.00, bronze medals and souvenirs respectively from CalBank.
Coach of Havedzi Mighty Warriors, Mr. Solomon Segbe in an interview with GNA Sport thanked patrons, sponsors, and stakeholders in the region for their roles which yielded results and called for more support for the second most successful beach soccer club in the country.
“We suffered to train and prepare for this tournament because we didn’t get enough support. I wish to call on individuals and groups for sponsorship to help develop the sports here so we can win more laurels.”
Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Chairman, Ghana Beach Soccer commended their sponsors especially CalBank for being with them for the past 10 years saying, if not for their support, the sports would not be “where it is today” and called on corporate Ghana for sponsorship saying, beach soccer held lots of prospects for the youth in coastal communities and regions.
He hinted that the weekend’s tournament, the beach soccer version of Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) would be made to stay noting, there were plans to extend beach soccer to non-coastal regions to make it big in the country and cited the hosting of the game in Eastern Region (a non-coastal region) as an example.
Chief Executive Officer of Sunset Sports Keta, Mr. Reuben Dzidodo Adjahoe said hosting the maiden tournament at “Keta, where beach soccer happens” was a big step for them noting, all eight clubs from the region had been doing well and expected that Keta and the region would be hosting not just national competitions but also international ones.
Mr. Selasi Kekeshie, owner of Emancipation Beach, Keta, one of the sponsors of the tournament encouraged the corporate world to support the game saying, “it’s beautiful sitting at the beach and watching people play soccer in the sand”.
“There are benefits in beach soccer for every coastal community and we need to take it seriously as a country. We have clean, golden, and spacious beaches along Volta’s coast. For those of us here at Keta, we’ll take beach soccer up to and run with it because it will promote tourism, develop the local economy and improve sanitation at the beaches,” Mr. Kennedy Hedoe, Media and Event at Global Village Afrika said.
Among spectators at the tournament were Togbi James-Ocloo V, Dufia of Keta, Togbi Gatsiko IV of Dzelukope, and other chiefs from surrounding communities.
