By: Podi Vai
‘Unity Through Sports’ was the drive behind the Rabaul Gelagela Sports Association Festive Season games held at the Rapopo Vunataung Sports Ground in Gelegele Resettlement.
The 2 days’ tournament that began on the 25th to its second day on the 27th of December will end with finals and presentation on Saturday 1st 2022.
The codes played during the tournament were volleyball and touch footy.
Tournament director and PNG LNG Kumuls Coach Michael Marum thanked the major sponsor James Peng Family who owns Rapopo Plantation Resort for sponsoring the prizes for the game.
“All the normal games in both codes have been completed and are now into its final round to be played on new year’s day”, Marum said.
Marum said the festive games were an initiative of the Rabaul Gelegela Sports Association and he is only on ground to provide assistance and oversee the games.
The games played over the festive period kept the youths busy and out of trouble.
“A special call to all the leaders back here in the resettlement to get behind our youths and show them our supports”, he said.
Michael Marum added that leaders’ have to stop their blame games and pointing fingers at the youths for causing nuisance in the resettlement but look for solution on how to keep them out of trouble.
He was impressed with the turnout and the overall behavior of the players and supporters during the games and said the festive games would be an annual sporting event.
“Special celebrations like Independence Day will also be included in our calendar next year onwards”, he said.
A total of nearly K10 000 worth of prizes money will be up for grabs during the finals.
The new years’ day event will see top teams in the Touch Footy divisions, Open Men’s, Women’s, and Junior Boys and in the two Volleyball divisions, Men’s and Women’s to battle it out for the top prize.
