The organizers of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup have extended the deadline for entries into this lucrative schools soccer tournament until the end of March to give more time to the outlying schools to submit their registration forms and compete for the R1 million first prize.
However, numerous entries have already been submitted and many of the schools that participated in the past two years are on the list again. For instance, Harmony High School (2011 champions of this tournament) was the first school to register in the province and are already in training to win the R1 million for a second successive year, but they will have stiff competition from 2011 Free State provincial champions, Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive High School, who have also registered.
Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive High School has been participating in the SASFA Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup for four years and last year was the first time that they reached the national finals. “Reaching the national finals was a clear indication of what hard work and determination can do for you,” said coach Pule Nketu. “The players are looking forward to participating again this year and our preparations have already started as we want to finish within at least the top four positions.”
Meanwhile Harmony High School will represent the Lejweleputswa region for the sixth consecutive year. The football academy, based in Virginia, beat Westridge Secondary School of Mitchell’s Plain 5 - 4 on penalties at the National Finals held at Seeisa Ramabodu Stadium last year to lift the trophy. Harmony High School was national champions in 2007, third place finishers in 2008 and 2009 and runners up in 2010 (formerly the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup).
Western Cape Sports School from Cape Town will be making their third appearance in the tournament this year. Although the school has never gone beyond the provincials, 18 year old team captain Michael Moosa believes this will change: “We have support from the technical team as well as the teachers. Training schedules have changed and more effort is being placed on the technical aspects of the game. Our goal is to represent Western Cape at the National Finals. Once we have achieved this we will look at the opposition and plan our next games.”
Then there are the schools that will be making their debut in the tournament such as Ngaka Maseko Secondary School of Mabopane in Gauteng, Tshala Secondary School of Ga Mochemi Village, Limpopo and HF Tlou high school from Tlhabane, North West.
HF Tlou coach, Thabo Moutlwatsi is excited to participate in the tournament: “This is the most respected tournament in the country and we are privileged to be able to compete for the first time this year. We are fully aware that competition will be tight, but hopefully with hard work and luck we will make it to the National Finals.”
Once registration closes, schools will compete in a league format at cluster level, with the winners going on to play in the regional final knockout. Each province will then host their regional winners to determine the team that will represent the province in the National Finals. In an attempt to give more schools a chance to win the R1 million, the SASFA Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup committee allows for the provincial winners and runners-up to compete in the National finals. The 18 teams will then compete for the winning trophy from 2 to 6 October in Bloemfontein.
Sanlam Sponsorship Manager, Frank Louw, will be attending all provincial finals: “Sanlam understands the value of development and the importance of realising what one hopes for. We believe that the SASFA Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates opportunities that have a positive impact on the youth and also provide exposure to scouts for those pupils who have talent. Moreover, the tournament also contributes to enhanced learning through improved educational facilities for the benefit of the rest of pupils in the winning schools and the broader communities around them.”
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