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22 November 2007

Western Cape football is set to receive a huge boost when the high-powered Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) delegation led by its president, Jeu Sprengers along with MEC Jacobs launch the 2nd phase of 'Stars in Their Eyes' project in Cape Town on Monday, 26 November.

The Stars in Their Eyes project, an exchange and twining football development programme between the Western Cape Government, Football fraternity and Netherlands was launched in August last year during a signing of a memorandum of agreement with all the stakeholders.

Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Whitey Jacobs as a host, will be joined by the Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Gert Oosthuizen in unveiling the details of the roll out of the phase which is geared to significantly enhance the soccer coaching thereby improve the standard of football in the Western Cape ahead of 2010 and beyond.

This flagship project will also ensure lasting legacy in football and community development through the exchange and twining agreements with up to 40 schools and communities benefiting by 2010. The project enjoys a lot of financial support and sponsorship from Dutch companies and, according to the Stars in Their Eyes Foundation prospects to train more local coaches in Netherlands are very high in the nearest future. The first phase of the Stars in Their Eyes project was launched at Stellenbosch University in February 2007 where 18 local football coaches were trained by Fifa accredited coaches from Dutch clubs.

Approximately 42 coaches will be trained at a coaching camp at UWC from 26 November until 1 December 2007. To ensure maximum impact, the Royal Football Association is sending 10 accredited coaches from professional and amateur levels to run the five-day training course.

* The Dutch delegation includes Mario van der Ende, a retired soccer referee from Netherlands. He is mostly known for supervising five matches in Fifa World Cup, three in 1994 and two in 1998.
* Johan van Geijn, international projects of KNVB Academy.
* Paul Beyersbergen, chairman of the Stars in Their Eyes Foundation.
* Ambassador Rob de Vos of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria
All news media are invited to a briefing to unveil the roll out plan and introduce the coaches.

Details of the media briefing will be held as follows:
Date: Monday, 26 November 2007
Time: 11h00
Venue: 1st Floor, Protea Assurance Building, Green Market Square, Cape Town

Enquiries:
Mandla Yeki
Media Liaison Officer: Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Cell: 079 511 2087

Issued by: Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Western Cape Provincial Government
22 November 2007
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)