Caley Junior Secondary School
from Butterworth in the Amathole District, are the Eastern Cape provincial
champions in the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer competition and they will
be travelling to Gauteng on the 28th June to represent their
province in the national finals. The prize for the ultimate winner is a trip to
Brazil to play against 31 other countries in the Danone Nations Cup world
finals.
Caley beat Hombakzai Primary School
from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, 4 – 3 on penalties in the provincial final
after the sides were goalless at the end of the game.
This is just the third time that
school has entered the competition. In 2012 Caley were knocked out in the
provincial finals and last year they did not make it past the regional stage.
According to coach, Malibongwe
Masekwana this is what the school has been waiting for since 2012. “There is no
other competition at this age group like the Danone Nations Cup,” he
said. “Our kids are from very poor areas and therefore don’t get the opportunity
to experience competitive football and as an added bonus to travel outside
their home town. Now they are off to Gauteng to compete in the national
finals, an opportunity that the kids need to broaden their minds and get them
to understand that there is a whole wide world out there filled with
opportunities. I have heard how kids have changed from their experiences in
this competition.”
Masekwana also believes the
Danone Nations Cup is a very good example of how hard work and good preparation
pays off. “We have been training hard as well as practicing penalty shoot
out’s, which has helped build confidence amongst the players. We are well
equipped to tackle the national final pressure.”
A key player for the team is goal
keeper, Chulumanga Sanda and defender, Nkosikho Ndandani.
“Chulumanga was impressive, quick
with his eyes and that’s why we never conceded a goal in the provincial
finals,” Masekwana said. “And Nkosikho held his position well on the
field and never allowed the opposition to counter attack, he managed the
backline very well.”
Masekwana has a level 1 coaching
qualification and has attended a few coaching clinics. “Having a qualification
is ideal and it gives us an upper advantage over coaches that don’t have.
Soccer is a scientific sport and one needs to be better equipped when it comes
to teaching a player the basics of defending and attacking,” he said. “It also
depends on your players. If they understand your philosophy then it makes your
job as a coach much easier.”
He has no illusions about the
task that lies ahead at the national finals. “Every province will be fighting
very hard to be number one,” he said. “We are not putting any pressure on the
boys. They must play with dignity and if we don’t make it that is fine, we have
next year to prepare for.”
Results
Mntonintshi 2 vs.
Sterkspruit 0
Caley 0 (3) vs. Usenathi 0 (2)
Lukholo 2 vs Bhongweni 0
Mntonintshi 0 (3) vs. Caley
0 (4)
Sterkspruit 0 vs Usenathi 2
Bhongwen 0 (9) vs Hombakazi 0 (8)
Usenathi 0 (2) vs. Mntonintshi 0
(1)
Caley 2 vs Sterkspruit 0
Hombakazi 1vs Lukholo 0
Final
Caley JSS 0 (4) vs Hombakazi 0
(3)
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