Benny’s Sports Development
Academy of the Vhembe District, Makhado in Limpopo are about to enter the
inter-circuit phase of the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer competition and,
under new coach, Mbishi Mokoena, they are confident of going far in the
competition this year.
Benny’s have been playing in the
tournament since 2010 and only once – in 2013 – did they get as far as the
district finals.
What has changed this year is the
school has appointed a specialist coach to take care of the junior players (in
the past they had one coach for all the age groups).
Mbishi Mokoena will take care of
the under-12, under-13 and under-14 teams at the school, and has already made a
difference with the under-12s, who won their zonal games quite easily, scoring
seven goals in one of them.
The new coach has been impressed
with his players so far. “Andries Mokgwethega has scored 3 goals out of the 8
the team scored so far, and we also have Tshimagatdzo Mokwevho. He only scored
1 goal but he assisted other players to score. I believe that those players
will take the team to the nationals,” he said.
Mokoena
believes passion is the key to being a successful coach. “Coaching is not just
instructing players on the field, it’s about building and maintaining a relationship
with different players,” he said. “You need to have the heart for it.”
Skills and experience
are also required. “You need to have experienced playing soccer in order to be
a coach. You can’t teach players something you don’t know about.”
While this is
Mokoena’s first time coaching the under-12 team, he has done his homework
before entering the Danone Nations Cup. “I had the opportunity of
watching last year’s under-12 team play and I noticed that they lacked the
basics and the team was all over the field with no structure. This year we have
gone back to the basics of soccer. The team has since grasped the concept and I
have definitely seen a change in them. “
The challenge for
Mokoena is the different roles he has to play. “The players are all boarding at
the school and don’t have their parents around them, so I have to be a father
figure to all of them at the same time. It’s an adjustment for me, but I am
gradually getting used to the fact that I have to play different roles to the
boys.”
Mokoena said the
reason he got involved in coaching was to develop and nature young players’
talents and he wants to be known for developing some of the best players in the
world. “I don’t see myself coaching a PSL team, I see myself coaching
internationally recognised academies. 10 years from now I still want to be
focussing on the development phase in soccer, coaching u-13. I believe that age
group is open and willing to learn as opposed to older players who think they
know everything about soccer “
Mokoena got his
players to Google the Danone Nations Cup Soccer Tournament to find out more
about it and to see what it is they are playing for.
“When they saw what
last’s year’s winners experienced, it got them more and more excited about
winning this tournament. I think that Danone is doing a great job in giving
these players a chance to travel to in different parts of the world and to play
a sport that they love.”
Ends
About Danone
Danone
Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food
companies in the world. Danone is present in over 120 countries across
all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group
is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to
bring health through food to as many people as possible.
One of the core
values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to
believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event
that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world
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