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Fri, May 25, 2012
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JSFA Doing Sterling Work for Young Players

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If you live in Jakarta, it is quite likely you know of the Jakarta Schools Football Association and the competitions it runs because they touch so many children’s and parents’ lives.

But for those who have yet to hear of the JSFA, it has run an interschools football league competition and a knockout competition for a range of ages since 2005. The league has grown every year and Saturday marked the end of its fifth full year, a year in which more than 50 schools and community groups took part, fielding more than 2,000 players.

Teams are split into a number of age groups (under-8, under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-19) and compete for the Coca-Cola League and Greenfields Challenge Cup in their respective age bands. The competitions run in parallel from January to April every year.

Participants include international schools, national plus schools, local schools and orphanages plus underprivileged community teams sponsored by schools and the JSFA. Teams in the league compete in one of four divisions (A, B, C or D) based primarily on skill level.

The association says its ethos is “to promote sportsmanship among all participants — players, coaches and parents — and to introduce schools to the enjoyment of teamwork in sport, healthy exercise and healthy competition. An additional aim is to give the most skillful players an opportunity to expand their horizons and to give the less skilled an opportunity to represent their school on the football field and learn more about the game.”

The league charges a Rp 1 million ($110) registration fee for each participating team, but provides the matches, venues, match officials and organization free thanks to sponsorship deals. The Jakarta Globe was a media partner of the league this season Most games this year have been played at seven “hub” venues: the British International School, Global Jaya International School, Sekolah Tiara Bangsa-ACS (International) Jakarta, the International Sports Club of Indonesia, Jakarta Japan Club, Deutsche International School and Sinarmas World Academy.

JSFA chairman Brian Dallamore said that offers of assistance would be welcome for next season, especially for would-be team managers, league officials and members of the committee. Anyone interested can contact current committee members listed on the JSFA Web site at www.jakartafootball.com/2010/commitee.php. JG