The Cecil Emmet Sports Grounds in
Vryheid will be the venue for the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Finals in the
under-15 COPA Coca-Cola football tournament on Saturday June 2 (kickoff 9am).
Twelve Regional winners from around
the province will be in action on the day and they will be fighting it out for
the KwaZulu-Natal title and for the honour of representing the province at the
National Finals in July. The winning schools also receive prize money from the
sponsors, to be used to purchase sporting and educational equipment for their
school.
Among the contenders to take the
KwaZulu-Natal crown is Umqhele Secondary School from the Pinetown district. This
is the sixth time that the school has played in the COPA Coca-Cola competition.
They won the 2007 KwaZulu-Natal provincials title and were knocked out in the
quarterfinal stage of the National Playoffs that year. Among the school’s most
famous ex-pupils is Golden Arrows and Bafana Bafana midfielder Thanduyise
Khuboni.
As far as this year’s team is
concerned, Luyanda Mchunu, a speedy striker with an eye for goals, who netted
six times in the regional stage of the competition, and goalkeeper
Mlungisi Mkhize who saved four penalties
ion the regional playoff games, are likely to be key players on Saturday.
Umqhele Secondary’s coach is Phenduka
Mkhwanazi. He says his team are determined to be crowned the provincial
champions on Saturday.
“We don’t have a sponsor and this is
our chance to win ourselves some money so we can buy soccer equipment because
at the moment we have a good soccer field but our soccer balls and kit is old
and some of our players have to borrow boots for matches,” he says.
Umqhele’s strongest opposition is
likely to come from Bethamoya High School from the Amajuba district.
The school is based in Emadadeni
Township near Newcastle. This is the fourth time they have been in the COPA
Coca-Cola competition and they won the KwaZulu-Natal title in 2009.
Their key players are striker Xolani
Cebekhulu who got four goals in the regional stage of the competition; Samukelo
Dweku, who is a midfielder and a good ball distributor to the strikers and the
captain, Sanele Nyembe, a defender who reads the game very well.
Their coach is Sihlesenkosi Gwala, a
teacher at the school. He says they are grateful for the opportunity Coca-Cola
is giving them.
“Our former student Andile Ace
Khumalo plays for AmaZulu after being identified at the COPA Coca-Coca Tournament
in 2009 by AmaZulu scouts,” Gwala says.
Schools
competing in the KwaZulu-Natal COPA Coca-Cola Provincial finals are:
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KWAZULU NATAL
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REGION
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TEAMS
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VENUE
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Amajuba
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Bethamoya High School
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Cecil Emmet Sports Grounds, Vryheid.
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Empangeni
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Khombindlela High
School
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Ilembe
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Guzana Secondary School
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Pinetown
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Umqhele Secondary
School
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Umlazi
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Bonela Secondary School
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Ugu
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Sphakeme High School
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Sisonke
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Dingeka Technical High
School
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Umgungundlovu
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Sukuma
Comprehensive School
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Umzinyathi
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Sebenzakusakhanya High
School
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Uthukela
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Mthonjeni Wolwazi High
School
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Umkhanyakude
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Masibonisane High
School
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Vryheid
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Siyangempumelelo High
School
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About COPA
Coca-Cola:
·
Copa Coca-Cola is run under the auspices of the
South African Schools Football Association (SASFA)
·
Coca-Cola started sponsoring Coca-Cola Football
Stars in 2005.
·
Between 2005 and 2008 a TV reality element was
introduced aimed at finding the top 18 players who would go on to compete
internationally. To keep interests high an elimination process was
brought in to reduce players from approximately 70 down to 18 and the public
witnessed the trials and tribulations that went into becoming a top football
player.
·
In 2009 and 2010 the name changed to bring the
tournament in line with Coca-Cola’s global youth strategy to COPA
Coca-Cola. The aim of the tournament remained the same i.e. to look for
the top Under-19 school in the country and find the top 18 players who then
competed against approximately 13 other African schools in the Copa Coca-Cola
finals.
·
In 2012 COPA Coca-Cola became an Under 15
tournament to align with the Copa Coca-Cola globally.
·
The tournament starts off at Cluster level (this
level is now complete as it happened in January)
·
Regional winners then compete in the Provincial
Finals
·
Provincial winners then compete in the National
Finals taking place from the 12rd – 14th July.
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| 2011 Winners Groutville High School |
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