Mobile giant makes dreams come true
By: Emeka Enyadike
Nokia's Defend Your Street (DYS) is a “street” football implementation program that connects Nigerian youth to their dreams, encourages them to focus on their goals and desires - and helps them stay at the top of their game.
Lagos – Nokia's Vithesh Reddy, described DYS as “Nokia's dream of connecting with over 3000 aspiring young footballers in the country”. And it's not just for the fun of the game but to also to allow them enjoy the similar experience and passions with other individuals across the continent. The program is running in South Africa and will be rolled out in Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well.
Reddy explained that DYS aims at delivering a sense of real involvement and interaction with youth, by tapping into their optimism and confidence to take on all comers…and win!
DYS is a series of 15-minute, five-a-side games that will be played in three cities: Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano, with a total of 128 teams to be recruited in each city. Knock-out matches will be played at the regional level, during which six zonal champions will emerge to play in the National Championship to be held in Lagos. All of these games will be played between September 1st and September 14. The overall winners - the National Champions – will play against the Boys From Brazil.
“The Boys from Brazil is a select team of young football players who have demonstrated excellent skills playing street football in Brazil. Nokia identified their talent and is taking them on a continental tour to connect them with their peers,” Reddy said.
“The Boys will be in Nigeria for one week connecting with Nigerian youth at every level. They will showcase their talents against the Nigerian National Champions in the final match that will be played at the Kings' College grounds in Victoria Island on September 16.”
DYS will involve players aged 16 to 25, registered as teams of eight. There are no goalkeepers but three substitutes are allowed during each game. The regional competition will kick off in Kano on September 1-2; Port Harcourt on September 8- 9 and Lagos on September 13-14.
“We believe in developing Nigerian youth both in mind and body. This is one reason we have also chosen to identify with street football, a phenomenon that is growing in leaps and bounds in Nigeria. We believe that the youth of this country can take on the Boys from Brazil as well as peers from other parts of the world…and win,” Reddy said.
Registration of teams for DYS is currently on-going; for more information go to
http://www.nokia.com/defendyourstreetMore by Emeka Enyadike
More...ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emeka Enyadike is the CEO of Deportivo Vandyke International Limited. He has successfully positioned Vandyke as one of the most innovative sponsorship agencies with footprints in international sports, media and entertainment with perhaps the largest network of the biggest corporate sponsors and deep industry know-how, built through a distinguished sporting career that makes him today one of the most respected sports commentators and analysts from Africa. His diverse talents and deep knowledge multi-discipline background and industry have seen him at the top of the game in petroleum management and marketing. Emeka has enjoyed careers in sports journalism, publishing, broadcasting, marketing, management and administration – demonstrating an uncanny ability to mix careers.
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