THE Chairperson of the national inter-secondary school games, UMISSETA organizing committee, Salvatore Shauri, boasted that the re-instated games have proved to be a breeding ground of talents including the 2011 winners of the Sports Personality of the year Award, Shomari Kapombe.

Shauri challenged athletes taking part at the 34th edition of the games at the Kibaha Secondary Schools grounds to make sure that they showcase their talents, diligently with self confidence to reach the top level. "You can become top athletes... most of the youngsters you see today are the product of the games.

You just need to keep your focus, struggle and cover every bit of ground to meet the needed standards," he challenged the juniors. Shauri said Kapombe, who plays for the country's soccer giants and Mainland Champions Simba SC as wel as the national soccer team Taifa Stars, featured for Eastern Zone during the 2010 UMISSETA games.

"Kapombe won 13m/- for the TASWA award, if you utilize this opportunity effectively as he did, I am sure you can reach your target both nationally and internationally," he said. He named other soccer players who are ranking high and are the product of the games and their zones in brackets as Juma Kaseja (Eastern), Danny Mrwanda (Southern Highlands), Mrisho Ngassa (Eastern and Lake Zone) and Henry Joseph (Lake Zone).

The above players have all played for the national soccer team, Taifa Stars while Joseph and Mrwanda have been undertaking professional soccer abroad. Shauri said they want to ensure that the games be a one-stop centre for national teams coaches to spot the athletes for better national sides as they have the talents in bulk.

Moreover, he said, they want to impart into the students' minds that sports are among the avenues which can offer employment and earn them good income as it is the case in other professions. The sports discipline being featured at the games are netball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, handball, athletics, BAO and table tennis.