COPA COCA-COLA REGIONAL FINALS CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND IN THREE PROVINCES

Copa Coca-Cola continues this weekend (Friday 25^th and Saturday 26^th February) with eight regions around the country holding their finals thereby taking a step further towards the provincial finals which kick-off on 5 March.

Action begins on Friday with Durban Central region competing at Siripat Ground in Reservoir Hills, Umlazi. KZN action continues on Saturday, 26^th February at the Osizweni Stadium in Newcastle and Wembesi Stadium in Estcourt with kick-off at 09:00am for both Amajuba and Uthugela regions respectively.

Free State will also be buzzing with 5 teams competing at the Matjhabeng Stadium in Odendalsrus (Lejweleputswa region) as well as Botlhokong Stadium in Bethlehem (Thabo Mufutsanyana region).  Both regions kick-off at 09:00am.

Mpumalanga will also focus on Copa Coca-Cola this Saturday at 09:00am with Nkangala and Ehlanzeni regional finals being played at the Siyathuthunga Stadium in Belfast and KaMlushwa sports ground in Malelane respectively. Coca-Cola will create an exciting atmosphere and fans in each vicinity are encouraged to attend to support their teams and see future stars in the making that could well don the Bafana Bafana jersey in a couple of years time

The regional finals kicked off last weekend resulting in eight teams that have already booked themselves a place in their respective provincial finals. 

“Copa Coca-Cola is one of our key assets,” said Anthony Garstang, Coca-Cola Brand Experience Manager. “Through this sponsorship we are giving the South African Under 19 youth the opportunity to showcase their skills on the field of play, while promoting youth development and a healthy lifestyle.”

The tournament will culminate with the National Finals happening from 30^th March to 2^nd April at the Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberly where the winners will collect prize money to be spent on a legacy project of the schools choice.  The winner will receive R150 000, the second prize will collect R100 000, 3^rd prize R60 000 with the rest of the Provincial winners each receiving R40 000.

FIXTURES

DATE	PROVINCE	REGION	TOWN	VENUE	KICK OFF TIME	NO OF TEAM
Fri, 25th Feb	Kwa Zulu Natal	Durban Central	Umlazi	Durban Central	14h00	8
Sat, 26th Feb	Mpumalanga	Gert Sibanda	Ermelo	Mpumalanga Stadium	09h00	11
Sat, 26th Feb	Kwa Zulu Natal	Amajuba	Newcastle	Osizweni Stadium	09h00	4
Sat, 26th Feb	Kwa Zulu Natal	Uthukela	Escourt	Wembesi Stadium	09h00	4
Sat, 26th Feb	Free State	Lejweleputswa	Odendaalsrus	Matjhabeng	09h00	5
Sat, 26th Feb	Free State	Thabo Mofutsanyane	Bethlehem	Bohlokong Stadium	09h00	5
Sat, 26th Feb	Mpumalanga	Nkangala	Belfast	Siyathuthunga Stadium	09h00	6
Sat, 26th Feb	Mpumalanga	Enhlanzeni	Malelane	Ka Mhlushwa Sports Grounds	09h00	4

Media Enquiries:

Tulisiwe Mkatshwa

Brand PR and Communications Manager

Coca-Cola South Africa

0823771207

On behalf of Coca-Cola

Intune Communications

Pearl Ndlazi

0832321389

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 14 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitamin water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

COPA COCA-COLA FOOTBALL REGIONAL FINALS KICK-OFF

The Copa Coca-Cola soccer tournament is now well underway with six Regions hosting games this past weekend, 19 February 2011. Hillview High School hosted the Tshwane West finals with winners, Central High school, boosted by the inclusion of Sundowns FC development players who are students at the school, booking a berth in the Gauteng Provincial Finals scheduled for KwaThema Sports Stadium on Saturday, 5^th March, kick-off at 9am.

Central High School was unbeatable and also took home the individual awards: Top Goal Scorer and Best Player, as a result of striker, Khanyelihle Shozi scoring six goals in total.

Ten schools participated in the tournament which was divided into two pools and played on a knockout basis. Central’s’ first game against Winterveld High School resulted in a 10 – 0 drubbing. Central then went on to beat host, Hillview, 3 – 0 to book their place in the final against Rantailane High School, which they won 10 – 0. 

Shozi could not contain his excitement on his team’s success: “We came to the finals with the aim of winning and proceeding to the next stage of Copa Coca-Cola. Our coach, Chaya Peter, inspired us to have fun and believe in ourselves.  He told us before the tournament that we could win by 10 goals, which we did - twice. It was awesome.” 

The young player, who started his career at Mabhuti Khanyeza’s club, Rockers FC in 2002 and was recruited into the Sundowns development programme in June 2010.

“The Copa Coca-Cola competition is a great stepping stone for us as young players,” said Shozi. “It is not just one weekend of games, but we play for months, which gives us the opportunity to polish our skills. My favourite player is Christiano Ronaldo, and I aspire to play for Real Madrid one day.”

Coach Chaya Peter was also pleased with his team’s result: “This was a great start to a magnificent tournament. Copa Coca-Cola is definitely an inspiring initiative especially following the Minister of Sports and Recreation’s call for all South Africans to rally around school football. Copa Coca-Cola gives all schools something exciting to look forward to. It is an established tournament and teachers and coaches know that it is for the under 18 ages so we can start building our squads early.  In our case, we started training last year already.”

“Coca-Cola is proud to play a part in developing young talent,” said Anthony Garstang, Brand Experience Manager, Coca-Cola South Africa. “The tournament is well underway now and as a brand, we are obviously looking to build talent for the future, recognising the important part the fans play in building the sport. We have decided to give a free 300ml Coke to everyone who comes to watch games. There also will be a DJ at the games throughout the day. We want the community in all the regions to come and see the future football stars in action.”

RESULTS:

Group A

Kgadime Matsepe 1(4p) vs Pelotona 1(2p)

Winterveld 0 vs Central High School 10

Mabopane High School 0 vs Setlalentoa 2

           

Group B

Hillview 4 vs Suiderberg 2

Holy Trinity 0 vs Rantailane 3

   

Second Round

Kgadime Matsepe 1 vs Rantailane 4

           

Semi Finals

Setlalentoa 0 vs Rantailane: 2

           

Hillview 0 vs Central High School 3

           

 Finals

 Central High School 10 vs Rantailane 0

           

GOAL SCORERS:

TOTAL NUMBER OF GOALS SCORED: 45

Khanyelihle Shozi (Central) 6

Jeremiah Nkwana (Central) 3

Refilwe Mokeretla (Central) 3

Mxolisi Sibanyoni (Central) 3

Siphiwe Khomo (Kgadime) 2

Seun Ledwaba (Central) 2

Roscoe Mckenzie (Central) 2

Sfiso Sithole (Rantailane) 2

Tlotlo Lekobu (Rantailane) 2

Katlego Namo (Rantailane) 1

Tatedi Magongoa (Rantailane) 1

Botshelo Mfuluane (Rantailane) 1

David Masupha (Rantailane) 1

Moshe Motau (Rantailane) 1

Godfrey Moatshe (Pelotona) 1

Ishmael Mngonyama (Central) 1

Siyabonga Khuzwayo (Central) 1

Percy Tau (Central) 1

Karabo Litabe (Central) 1

Yellow cards and Red cards: 0

Media Enquiries:

Tulisiwe Mkatshwa

Brand PR and Communications Manager

Coca-Cola South Africa

0823771207

On behalf of Coca-Cola

Intune Communications

Pearl Ndlazi

0832321389

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 14 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/.

COPA COCA-COLA SEARCH FOR TALENT IS IN FULL SWING

The search for the countries best Under 18 football school team is once again in full swing as the 6^th edition of COPA Coca-Cola moves into the regional final stage this weekend, 18^th  and 19^th  February 2011.

Approximately 60 000 footballers from 3 000 schools registered for participating in the tournament. The competition started in January at Cluster level and the 224 winners will now compete in 36 regional finals with the aim of getting through to the Provincial finals. The tournament culminates with the national finals which will be held at the Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley from 30^th March to 2^nd April.

Johannesburg Secondary School, representing Gauteng, emerged victorious in the 2010 Copa Coca-Cola collecting the R150 000 first prize following a 3 – 2 victory over Seiphemelo High of North West in the final match. Seiphemelo received R100 000 for their hard work, Harmony High School of Virginia in the Free State collected R60 000 for third spot while the remaining six sides took home R40 000 each. Prize money was used to fund school legacy projects focusing on education and sports needs.

Anthony Garstang, Brand Experience Manager, Coca-Cola South Africa says of the competition: “Coca-Cola promotes on-going youth development through our active lifestyle platform and COPA Coca-Cola is one of the initiatives that helps us achieve our goal. We further encourage young sports persons on the need for healthy hydration with Coca-Cola’s  preservative free sports drink, Powerade.

“We are also encouraged to assist the winning schools in enhancing the quality of their sporting and academic priorities,” explains Garstang.

There will be 10 regional finals happening this weekend with Gauteng’s Johannesburg South starting with four teams. Kick-off is at 2pm at the Ennerdale Stadium in Ennerdale, Friday, 18^th February.

On Saturday, 19^th February, three regions in Gauteng, two in Mpumalanga and four in the Northern Cape will compete and over the next few weeks regional finals will be played every weekend at various venues. The provincial finals will start happening as soon as all the regional finals have been completed and with some provinces having less regions they will start earlier than others, Mpumalanga being the first province to stage their finals on 5 March.

“Over the years Copa Coca-Cola has unearthed a number of youngsters that have gone on to become professional players including Mandla Masango of Kaizer Chiefs,  Happy Jele  now at Orlando Pirates, Excellent Walaza currently playing for Vasco da Gama and Andile Jali who competes for Orlando Pirates and is also a Bafana Bafana player. This year will be no different.  We expect to see scouts from all PSL Clubs at the provincial finals seeking talent to boost their teams in the future,” said Garstang.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

DATE	PROVINCE	REGION	TOWN/CITY	VENUE	KICK OFF TIME	NO OF TEAM
Fri, 18th Feb	Gauteng	JHB South	Ennerdale	Ennerdale Stadium	14h00	4
Sat, 19thFeb	Gauteng	JHB West	Krugersdorp	Johanna Kruger Park	09h00	14
Sat, 19th Feb	Gauteng	Tshwane West	Akasia	Hillsview High	09h00	10
Sat, 19th Feb	Gauteng	Sedibeng West	Evarton North	Qelizwe High School	09h00	4
Sat, 19th Feb	Mpumalanga	Gert Sibanda	Kinross	Sasol Club	09h00	11
Sat, 19th Feb	Mpumalanga	Bushbuckridge	Bushbuckridge	Thulamaheshe Stadium	09h00	14
Sat, 19th Feb	Northern Cape	JTG	Mothibistad	Mothibistad Stadium	09h00	5
Sat, 19th Feb	Northern Cape	Francis Baard	Galeshewe	Galeshewe Stadium	09h00	4
Sat, 19th Feb	Northern Cape	Pixley ka Sene	Douglas	Douglas Stadium	09h00	5
Sat, 19th Feb	Northern Cape	Siyanda	Upington	Paballelo Stadium	09h00	2