SCHOOL WINS R100 000 IN SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOL CUP - AFTER ORIGINAL WINNER STRIPPED OF THE TITLE

Eric Nxumalo High School, from the Bohlabela Region in Mpumalanga, has been awarded the R100 000 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial winners prize money, after East High was stripped of their provincial title due to fielding an ineligible player in the national finals. 

“We will not tolerate dishonesty in our tournaments,” said Mandla ‘Shoes’ Mazibuko, the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA) President.  “Not only has East High been stripped of their winnings, but the school has been banned from playing in any of our tournaments for the next five years.  We want to send a strong warning to all schools that participate in SASFA tournaments.”

Eric Nxumalo finally finished ninth overall in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, the richest football tournament in Africa, after beating Freedom Park High (North West) in the ninth/tenth place playoff at the national finals that took place in Durban recently.

According to Eric Nxumalo coach, Canon Simango, the school is still to decide how they will use the prize money, but says playing in the national finals of a major tournament for the first time was a big learning experience for him and the players.  “The biggest lesson was that team-work is what wins games. I have been trying to instil this into the boys since the start of the season, and seeing how the academy boys played endorsed this,” he said. “Our weakest point was that the boys did not play as a team. They wanted to impress the scouts, so they played individually which cost us dearly.”

“Our best games were the last 2 when the boys started bonding together, but by then it was too late.”

Simango says.  Another observation was how seriously the other provinces were about the game.  “Looking at Clapham, Louis Botha THS and Rosina Sedibane, those 3 schools were the teams to beat. They take football very seriously and this showed in the way they played. All their games were full of action and great football. That’s how I want to see my team play.  They love soccer but I don’t know if they are as serious about it as those three teams.”

Simango started coached when he realised his own soccer career wouldn’t go far. “I have no coaching qualifications, I am teacher at the school and I coach because of the love that I have for soccer.

Preparing for the national finals was a big challenge, he says. “The players were studying for the prelim exams, so getting them together for training was difficult.  I also teach mathematics for grades 9, 10 and 12 and had to focus on education, so I was also not always available to coach. Most of the other schools had full time coaches with lots of qualifications.”

Simango was impressed with the standard of football at the tournament and said there were some skilful players there. “Most of the young academy players look like they could play for PSL teams already, not development sides,” he said. “While I recognise that we were at a disadvantage against the academies, getting to this level and seeing such talent was excellent for all of us. I learnt a lot that I can implement in the school and it will up the standard at our school. I feel privileged to have had this experience.”

Sanlam is an excellent sponsor of such a tournament, Simango believes. “We do not teach any form of financial literacy at the school and I believe it is important for kids to know about this from an early age. I believe Sanlam should come and give all our high school kids advice on how to save and invest in their futures.

RESULTS:

Eric Nxumalo 1 vs East High 2

Ndamase 0 vs Eric Nxumalo 1

Eric Nxumalo 3 vs Benny’s Sports 2

HTS Louis Botha 4 vs Eric Nxumalo 0

Okiep 3 vs Eric Nxumalo 2

Positions 9-12 - Eric Nxumalo 2 vs Exec Academy 1

Position 9 - Freedom Park 0 vs Eric Nxumalo 2

Coca-Cola T20 School Cricket Teams compete for an Outdoor Gym

The 2013 Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge has kicked off, and as an added incentive to selected participating schools, Coca-Cola® is running an exercise challenge aimed at promoting a physically active Coca-Cola® 30 Minutes Heroes Challenge.

The competition is not exclusive to cricketers and open to all learners at participating schools as Coca-Cola® would like to get as many teens as possible physically active.

“Coca-Cola® has been involved in cricket development for over 30 years,” explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Assets Marketing Manager. “Heroes are made at our tournaments, starting with our sponsorship, the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge where schools participate in competitive cricket to the broader community. The top players in the 16 cricket unions progress to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, which has produced over 200 Proteas players over the years. Through the Coca-Cola® 30 Minutes of Heroes Challenge we are encouraging all teens to be physically active as part of a daily lifestyle,” says Mbele.

The learners participating in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minutes of Heroes Challenge must try to get as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit in a 30 minute period. The scores will not be announced until the very end of the challenge, with the school completing the most circuits in the allotted time standing a chance to win an outdoor gym to the value of two hundred thousand rand, to be installed at the winning school. The gym is similar to those found in Johannesburg Parks and at Sea Point in Cape Town.

The challenge consists of five cricket-related activities, run as a circuit. They are:

1.    Shuttle drill – teens must run from beacon to beacon collecting and moving a mini cricket ball from one to the next

2.    Throwing on target – teens have three chances to hit a set of spring loaded stumps

3.    Skipping – teens must skip for 10 counts

4.    Catching – teens must catch three balls off the rebound board

5.    Slalom poles – teens must weave in and out of 10 slalom poles

“It might seem easy but the challenge is to be able to complete the circuit as many times in the stipulated time period,” said Mbele.

All balls used are mini cricket balls more or less the same density as a tennis ball and a counter will record every teen’s completion of the circuit within the 30 minutes. Once the officially-timed 30 minute period is over, the circuit will be open for anyone else who wants to do the exercises, just for fun.

Limpopo Youngster to play in a game against Mamelodi Sundowns First team

Benny’s Sports Development Academy from Makhado, Limpopo, might only have finished in seventh position overall in the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, but a fine performance in the national final by one of its team members has led to him getting an opportunity of a lifetime.

Attacking midfielder, Lesedi Katinga, has been invited to attend a camp from the 29^th November to 4^th December, run by Mamelodi Sundowns, based in Cloorkop, Midrand.  Not only will he get an opportunity to be trained by some of the best soccer development coaches in South Africa, but will also get to play against the Mamelodi Sundowns first team.

At the end of the camp 3 or 4 players will be invited to join the Sundowns development academy, and Katinga is hoping He will be one of them.

Katinga hails from Musina where he lives with his mother and half brother. Soccer is his focus and the career path he would like to follow. “I have not thought beyond soccer and Benny’s Sports has been the right school for me, being the only sports school in Limpopo,” he said.

Katinga was groomed in soccer from an early age by his cousin, the late Lesley Manyathela, who played for Orlando Pirates before he was killed in a car accident. “He was my hero and role model and would give me advice on how to be a better player.  I would sit and watch him on TV with so much pride.  He also did so much to promote our small town of Musina and I would like to continue to fly the town’s flag – even have my own team one day aimed at helping build future stars,” he said.

“With my cousin no longer with us I now look up to the likes of Lionel Messi - he is a star quality player and he never disappoints. I really love watching him as he works very hard, which shows on the pitch.”

Katinga joined Musina United FC in 2010 and was spotted by Benny’s coach, Justice Matloga, at a tournament and asked to come to the school. “I went there in 2011 and have never looked back,” he said.

The young footballer is not new to Chloorkop.  “I was invited to attend trials for Sundowns in 2011 and 2012 but was not selected into the Academy. This year I have been invited to attend a camp and I am hoping that it will be a case of third time lucky. I just have to work hard and focus on my training. I think that my soccer career has a better chance in Gauteng than in Limpopo as there are more opportunities and the facilities are better,” he said.

Playing in the tournament has exposed Katinga to the sponsors, Sanlam, and he has learnt how they help people save money through investing wisely instead of wasting money, by teaching financial literacy. “We need to learn how to save money and look for opportunities for investment. One day I would like to own a business but I don’t know what type of business I want yet, so Sanlam can be of great help to me,” he said.

As provincial champions Benny’s gets R100 000 to be spent on projects that will benefit the school and community at large. 

FK Tjiane, from Dennilton were provincial final runners up thereby qualifying for a spot in the national finals where they finished in 13^th out of the 18 schools competing.

Results of Limpopo Schools

FK Tjiane 1 vs Clapham 9

Ndamase 0 vs Benny's Sports 9

FK Tjiane 0 vs Freedom Park 0

Benny's Sport 1 vs HTS Louis Botha 1

Harmony 6 v FK Tjiane 0

Eric Nxumalo 3 Benny's Sports 2

Sebetwaned 0 FK Tjiane 2

Benny's Sports 1 Okiep 0

Rietvale 2 FK Tjiane 1

East High 0 Benny's Sports 3

Positions 13 – 16 Sibongumusa 1 vs FK Tjiane 2

Positions 5 – 8: Okiep 1 vs Benny’s Sport 1

Positions 13 – 14: FK Tjiane 1 vs Ndamase 0

Positions  7 – 8: Cloetesville 0 vs Benny’s Sports 0 (Benny’s won 4 – 2 on penalties).

2013 KFC Mini-Cricket Festival Pictures

A KFC Mini-Cricket Kid bowls in a KFC Mini-Cricket match

Unlimited Titans player CJ de Villiers keeps wicket in a KFC Mini-Cricket match

Unlimited Titans player JP de Villiers poses with a KFC Mini-Cricket kid

A KFC Mini-Cricket batter

Unlimited Titans player CJ de Villiers watches a KFC Mini-Cricket match

Excitement builds for the Limpopo KFC Mini-Cricket Festival

The Limpopo Cricket Union will be hosting a KFC Mini-Cricket Festival at the Polokwane Club on Saturday 12^th October with the aim of encouraging more and more kids to get active. Starting at 09:00, a morning of cricketing fun will see a variety of boys and girls from all over the region getting active together.

Differently-abled kids will also be included in the festival, but greater emphasis will be placed on hand-eye coordination, ball catching skills and the basics of the game.

KFC Mini-Cricket has over 100 000 kids actively participating in the programme around the country, with dedicated volunteer coaches sharing their passion for cricket, by helping these youngsters get the most out of the game from an early age.

“The Limpopo  region has an abundance of talent spread far and wide, so it’s important that we host this KFC Mini-Cricket Festival to bring kids and coaches from various backgrounds together to really enjoy the benefits of getting active”, says Lauren Turnbull, Sponsorships Manager of KFC South Africa.

Also attending the Limpopo KFC Mini-Cricket Festival will be local provincial. With so many players currently playing in the various domestic franchises having taken up the game at KFC Mini-Cricket level, it is only fitting that they are present to give needed guidance and inspiration to the kids on the day.

The kids attending the festival will also get the chance to audition to become KFC Mini-Cricket Ambassadors. Not only will this provide them with the opportunity of the provincial players, but successful participants will stand a chance to get active at the KFC T20 Internationals and Ram Slam T20 Challenge by participating in activities such as: the coin toss, taking the field as player escorts and acting as ball boys and girls on the boundaries at the matches.

There is an exciting 2013/14 KFC Mini-Cricket Season ahead of cricket with the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour. Seven lucky competition winners, selected through a USSD Competition that started on the 8th of September and ended on the 8^th October will get to play a KFC Mini-Cricket game against the Proteas!

The KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour was launched in September with the Proteas, captained by AB De Villiers, beating the KFC Mini-Cricket kids by 15 runs. 

Excitement builds for the Mpumalanga KFC Mini-Cricket

The Mpumalanga Cricket Union will be hosting a KFC Mini-Cricket Festival at the Driekoppies Stadium in Lowveld on Friday 11^th October with the aim of encouraging more and more kids to get active. Starting at 10:00am a morning of cricketing fun will see a variety of boys and girls from all over the region getting active together.

Differently-abled kids will also be included in the festival, but greater emphasis will be placed on hand-eye coordination, ball catching skills and the basics of the game.

KFC Mini-Cricket has over 100 000 kids actively participating in the programme around the country, with dedicated volunteer coaches sharing their passion for cricket, by helping these youngsters get the most out of the game from an early age.

“The Limpopo  region has an abundance of talent spread far and wide, so it’s important that we host this KFC Mini-Cricket Festival to bring kids and coaches from various backgrounds together to really enjoy the benefits of getting active”, says Lauren Turnbull, Sponsorships Manager of KFC South Africa.

Also attending the Mpumalanga KFC Mini-Cricket Festival will be local provincial. With so many players currently playing in the various domestic franchises having taken up the game at KFC Mini-Cricket level, it is only fitting that they are present to give needed guidance and inspiration to the kids on the day.

The kids attending the festival will also get the chance to audition to become KFC Mini-Cricket Ambassadors. Not only will this provide them with the opportunity of the provincial players, but successful participants will stand a chance to get active at the KFC T20 Internationals and Ram Slam T20 Challenge by participating in activities such as: the coin toss, taking the field as player escorts and acting as ball boys and girls on the boundaries at the matches.

There is an exciting 2013/14 KFC Mini-Cricket Season ahead of cricket with the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour. Seven lucky competition winners, selected through a USSD Competition that started on the 8th of September and ended on the 8^th October will get to play a KFC Mini-Cricket game against the Proteas!

The KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour was launched in September with the Proteas, captained by AB De Villiers, beating the KFC Mini-Cricket kids by 15 runs. 

Eastern Cape Schools benefit from Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Experience

Executive Academy School and Ndamase Senior Secondary School represented the Eastern Cape at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup national finals in Durban, finishing the tournament in 12^th and 14^th positions respectively. Vuyisa Yolwa, team manager of Ndamase, says that although they were disappointed not to have come close to the semis or the final, they learnt an incredible amount from the experience which will benefit his players, and change the way in which they approach the sport.

“Firstly,  ninety percent of the team was playing in this tournament for the first time and will still be there next year so with the lessons we learnt we will go back to the drawing board and prepare for next year and hopefully do much better,” he said.

Yolwa was very impressed with the eventual winners, Clapham High School. “They were so tactically and technically astute. The team is organised they attack and defend together as a team. That’s what we need to start implementing in our side,” he said.

The Ndamase boys were very nervous when they had to play their first game against Benny’s Sports, Yolwa says, and they lost 9-0. “I was watching from the stands and could see that the team wasn’t listening to the coach and following his instructions and it showed blatantly on the field. In our second game, although we lost, our defenders were tight and strong, we didn’t leave any room for the opposition to score more goal than the one they scored. Where we were lacking was in our strike force. We need to focus on this if we want to improve. We scored no goals in the first 2 days which is not good at all. Further, the players need to unite and play as a team as opposed to individuals.  I saw a lot from other teams and will look at this going forward.”

Yolwa says the level of football at the tournament is excellent. “The fact that some of the schools are academies made the tournament interesting and challenging.”  Ndamase admits his school was at a disadvantage because their coach, Ndoyisile Poswa, is a local lawyer who volunteered to coach the team. “He has no qualifications and does this for the love of the game. He helps us a lot, even purchasing 2 balls that are now used for the entire school.  He also pays for the transport when our team competes in away games,” Yolwas explained.

Ndamase School does not have a soccer field, but train and practise in the school yard. They don’t have goal posts and make goals from any materials they can find lying around.  “We will continue to play in this tournament and hopefully the lessons we learnt from the academy schools will help us win the provincial finals next year. The boys are fully aware of the prize money on offer and the difference it can make to the school,” Yolwa said.

“We really appreciated being in the national finals and playing against such strong teams. It will help our entire village as we will go back and show every school what we learnt.

RESULTS: DAY 1 (24 September 2013)

Sibongumusa 0 vs Executive Academy 1, Goal: Sive Klaushe

Ndamase 0 vs Benny’s Care 9. Goals: Matuka Kabota (2), Khuliso Mudau, Eethe Khaukanani (3), Lfentswe Mungadziwa, Alton Lesedi, own goal

Cloetesville 4 vs Executive Academy 1. Goals: Cloetesville: Antonio Lewis (2), Curvin Williams, Jason Clayton (captain). Executive Academy: A: Zolani Malahla

Ndamase 0 vs Eric Nxumalo 1. Goal: Fumani Mathebula

Welabasha 0 vs Executive Academy 1. Goal: Siphiwe Giften

RESULTS: DAY 2 (25 September 2013)

Okiep 1 vs Ndamase 0. Goal: Duncan Vd Heever

Executive Academy 1 vs Rosina Sedibane 1. Goals: Executive Academy: Zolani Malahla; Rosina Sedibane: Skhumbuzo Mazibuko

East High 6 v Ndamase 0. Goals: Muzi Thabotha (2), Siyabonga Sibiya (3), Bojosi Manjoe

Executive Academy 0 v Mondale 2. Goals: Dillan Fransch (2)

Louis Botha 6 v Ndamase 0. Goals: Boipelo Segwaba (4), Ernest Mabathoana, Phatsimo Litseho

RESULTS: DAY 3 (26 September 2013)

Pos 9 – 12: Eric Nxumalo 2 vs Executive Academy 0. Goals: Funani Mathabela, Sydney Moyane

Pos 13 – 16: Sebetwane 1 vs Ndamase 1. Ndamase won 3 – 2 on penalties. Goals: Sebetwane: Tshepiso Lobelo. Ndamase: Ayakha Stamp

Pos 11 – 12: Rietvale 1 vs Executive Academy 1. Rietvale won 4 – 2 on penalties. Goals: Rietvlei: Angelo Van Rooi, Executive Academy: Bonga Klaushe

Pos 13 – 14: FK Tjiane 1 vs Ndamase 0. Goal: Dumisani Shongwe

FREE STATE SCHOOLS DO WELL IN SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP

It was a Second and fourth place finish for the Free State schools in the national finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, that took place at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban last week.  Louis Botha Technical High School from Bloemfontein finished in second place and Harmony High School (Virginia) ended in fourth place.  This means that, of the R3.4 million in total prize money, R1.6 will go to the province, making it the second most successful province in the tournament, behind Gauteng .

This was Louis Botha’s first national final experience, losing 2-1 to Pretoria’s Clapham High School in the final. They breezed through the pool stages of the competition, beating Okiep 2-0, Eric Nxumalo 4-0, East High 1-0 and Ndamase 6-0 ending the pool drawing with Benny’s Sports 1-1.

In the quarterfinals they beat Mondale on penalties, after the scores were locked on 1-all at the end of extra time, followed by a 1-0 win over Rosina Sedibane 0 in the semis to get to the finals.

There were some individual honours for the team - Ofentse Motlhanke was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament, and coach, Prins Soni, was named the Best Coach of the tournament.

Louis Botha won R100 000 as provincial champions and an added R600 000 for second place overall and  Harmony, the most successful school in the tournament to date, get R400 000.

Team manager, Norman Ngomba, says the standard of football at the national finals was exceptional. “The regional and provincial level was what we are accustomed to, but what we saw at the national finals was completely different, it took us by surprise,” he said.

The toughest game, according to Ngomba, was the final against Clapham. “They were so tactical and organised. They played with a cool head and even when we shut down their star, Percy Tau, they did not seem to flinch.”

The coach said they went into the tournament with the view of using it as a learning curve for next year.
“Our strategy was not to put pressure on the boys,” he said. “And our result was way beyond what we expected. It sure was a learning curve and we learnt something different from every school.  For example,  Rosina was a team that was united, they played simple football which worked for them, they play excellent one touch football; Modale High played a different style of play, they were more tactical, which is how I want us to be; and Clapham had everything, tactical and technical ability and experience. Their players belong to the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy and I believe they get a chance to play against the first team once a month, such experience is what we were competing against.”

Ngomba says that playing in front of Sundowns president Patrice Mr Motsepe, was something they will never forget. “All the players admire him, and the work that he is doing, not just for football but also in the arts and culture as well as in business,” he said.

He is also full of praise for Sanlam, the tournament sponsors. “I hope they continue to sponsor the tournament as they have added so much to it since they came on board in 2010. It has grown into a much sought after tournament. I now have insight into insurance and am definitely getting life insurance in the near future. I want to make sure that if something happens to me, my family is well looked after.”

The coach vows to be back again next year, and is already preparing the team.