BINGKOR BOYS GRAB OKK SEDOMON CUP

KENINGAU : The Borneo Youth Premier League (BYPL) 2012 Football Tournament ended their 2 month game Saturday with a 4:3 win for Bingkor’s Belia Borneo Komiti FC against Keningau’s Lingkudau FC.

The champion team wins the OKK Sedomon Cup, named in honour of the great native leader of the interior, after a hard fought battle on the pitch that saw tensions and stress levels rise leading them into a final penalty shoot-out.

Nilakrisna James, Founder and Patron of the amateur league, said that the tournament is an annual event and teams are constantly recruiting new rural players and forming new clubs.

“We’re spreading the word via the new media”, said Nilakrisna, “such as emails, facebook, blogs, twitter and sms, and the grassroot form of communication through word of mouth as they tend to be more effective and supportive than mainstream print media when it comes to the rural folks. We are getting youths back into the traditional form of sport entertainment in their off days and when they’re taking a break from their agricultural enterprises.

Our greatest asset in Sabah kampungs is the people who work the fields for our food bowls. Political leaders are meaningless to them because year in year out their lives remain untouched by leaders.

So, we fight for the honour of OKK Sedomon’s cup because my grandfather was an agricultural businessman who basically had the balls to fight for the rights of his people but handed the political responsibility to others. Every one of our players is more like him. They just want to work, make money and live simple lives.”

With a total 47 teams participating in the 2011 and 2012 BYPL tournaments, the fastest growing amateur football league in the interior is also trying to help champion players refine their skills through courses with professionals and to learn the rudiments of fine football techniques, refereeing and the work of linesmen.

The league is managed by Juse Reoyston, President of the NGO Gerakan Belia Dinamik Pedalaman, focusing on the development of youth and sports in the interior regions of Sabah.

The season will end with a football friendly and celebration between the 2012 BYPL Champions and an expatriate team in September. Recruitment for next year’s BYPL 2013 Football Tournament has started and plans are underway to determine appropriate venues for teams outside Keningau region who have already contacted the organisers for registration.

Bookings for 2013 can now be made by contacting Juse Reoyston on +601119034149.