The Welgris Highlanders football club is taking positives steps to promote the club and National Soccer League in Papua New Guinea.
The Highlanders club plans to promote the National Soccer League by appealing to the grassroots level in PNG by promoting the club, so the players and supporters at the rural and local areas can see what is happening at the NSL Level.
In the first steps of the clubs promotional drive, the Highlanders visited Onga Waffa Soccer Association in the Mutzing area of the Markham district, Morobe province and played friendly matches with local teams in the area on Wednesday.
Onga Waffa Soccer Association is a new affiliate of the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) and has many talented young players.
During the visit Welgris Highlander FC General Manager Pius Letenge told a big crowd that the their main aim is to promote and populate the club from the grassroots up to the professional level.
Letenge said he also wants to establish friendly relationships with the grassroots and to market the club and NSL by providing information about what is happening in the NSL competition.
He said it is part of the clubs social responsibility to visit rural areas to motivate youths to turn away from drugs and alcohol and play football.
He told more than 30 youths that they have the talents and skills to make a career in football and with the right training and dedication they can make it.
Letenge said football is not just about sports but community development and Welgris are focused on improving this area.
“There are potential and talented players in the rural areas and such a visit like this and friendly matches could give them a chance to showcase their talents where NSL franchises clubs can recruit from.”
He also challenged all franchise clubs to go out to the rural areas and do the same. Welgris Highlanders FC has recruited one of the most powerful strikers in the team from Onga Waffa Soccer Association.
It is the first time an NSL team has gone out to the rural areas to play matches with the grassroots.
“We are starting now and we will continue to go out to other rural areas to promote our club and the NSL upon request by rural associations,” Letenge said.
Onga Waffa Soccer Association President Nick Samson thanked Welgris Highlander FC for visiting his association.
“I would like to thank Welgris Highlander FC for recruiting two players from our new association. I wish the Highlanders good luck in this season’s competition.”