The school to represent South Africa in the Danone Nations Cup World Finals will be made known this weekend

The under-12 Danone Nations Cup national finals will take place at the WJ Clements Stadium in Reiger Park, Boksburg, on Saturday June 28.

The process of identifying the nine provincial champion schools that will be in action on Saturday began back in April and it's fitting that it all comes to a climax at a time when soccer is at the top of everyone's mind as the FIFA World Cup nears its knockout phase in Brazil.

And it's a trip to Brazil that will be up for grabs on Saturday. The winning school will represent South Africa at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in Sao Paulo in November, so there's everything to play for on Saturday and the players are all dreaming of playing at the stadium that they have been seeing on TV this week.

Apart from the exciting matches, there are many fun activities on offer to spectators. Youngsters will be given the opportunity to display their soccer skills, with prizes up for grabs, and the Mille Free stylists will be there teaching them soccer tricks.

Nikon photographers will be there to take pictures of the kids with Danone Nations Cup ambassador, Neil Tovey, between 10am and 12pm.  There will also be a number of fun activities, including jumping castles and face painting, among others.

KwaZulu-Natal representatives, Siphumelele Primary School, are a team to watch and are ready for the finals, physically and mentally. Their manager, Emmanuel Mkhize, says the players have shown they are capable of handling the nations. "They handled the provincial finals in their stride, and I'm confident they will do the same on Saturday," he said.

Bayanda Lukhanyo, a 12 year-old midfielder, will be one of the Siphumelele’s key players. He said he is expecting tough competition in the nationals. "We made it to the nationals last year as well but were knocked out and hope to go further this time," he said.  "I would like to win, but I also want to have fun and make friends throughout the day."

Another school that performed well at their provincial finals is Credo Primary School representing Free State.  Manager, Ms Dikeledi Sothwane, said she sees the teams from KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng as their strongest opposition. 

"That being said, the team has been working hard and they will fight to make sure they are in with a chance. I believe what kids at this age need the most is confidence and I tell them that they are strong enough to compete against any team, they must not be intimidated and play soccer they way they have been taught."

Itumeleng Tautse, an 11 year-old midfielder will be one of her key players.  He said the team has been having problems with scoring goals, despite creating many chances. "My parents, who are my biggest supporters, and try to watch as many games that I play in as possible, have bought me new boots and I’m looking forward to scoring with them on Saturday.  I would like to score 8 goals, but let’s see what happens."

Then there is Limpopo province’s Rev MP Malatjie Primary School to look out for as well.  Team manager, Philip Nkwe says that the province has brought in coach Ronny Mbedele to help with their preparations. "He has made a huge change to our team, he listens to the players and makes them listen to each other," said Nkwe.

Rev MP Malatjie’s key player will be midfielder, Leseba Sehona, who is excited to be going to Gauteng because his sisters,  Malesela and Princess,  who live in Jo’burg, will be at the stadium to watch him play for the first time ever.  "That will motivate me to play well when I see them on the stands and cheering my name.  I want to make them proud of me," he said.

 The nine provincial champions are:

Roodepan Primary School (Kimberley) - Frances Bard district, Northern Cape

Siphumelele Primary School (Inanda) – Pinetown district, KwaZulu-Natal

Credo Primary School (Sasolburg) - Fezile Dabi district, Free State

Rev MP Malatjie Primary School (Seshego) - Capricorn district, Limpopo

Kgetleng Primary School (Swartruggens) -  Ngaka Modiri Molema district, North West

Johannes Kananda Primary School (Witbank) – Nkangala district, Mpumalanga

Caley Junior Secondary School (Butterworth) – Amathole district, Eastern Cape

Lukhanyo Primary School (Hermanus) – Overberg, Western Cape

Farrarmere Primary School (Benoni) – Ekurhuleni North district, Gauteng

First timers win the Danone Nations Cup Gauteng Provincial Finals

Benoni’s Farrarmere Primary School became the ninth and final school to win their provincial title in the 2014 under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament when they beat Sonqoba Primary 2-1 in the final of the Gauteng provincial playoffs at the WJ Clements Stadium in Reiger Park last Saturday.

The win means that Farrarmere will join the other eight provincial champions for the national finals, at the same venue, on Saturday 28^th June. The winners on that day will take the national title and, with it, the chance to represent the nation at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil in November.

The Gauteng provincial title is a fairy tale come true for Farrarmere. It was the first time they have competed in the competition and according to their coach, Jacques Martinaglia, it has been an awesome experience for the team. “Being our first experience in the tournament winning the provincials was never in our minds,” he said.  “We told ourselves that this year we want to learn and have fun as we didn’t know what to expect. Winning the provincials was a shock, but we are happy and excited that we won. We are proud of the entire team and a step closer to going to Brazil.”

Martinaglia is a qualified rugby coach, but he said that he just fell in love with soccer and decided to coach. He has since attended a few coaching clinics run by the Dutch by KNVB body and by SAFA and he has created his winning formula on what he learned there.

On the build up to the nationals the coach said, “We will be doing basic training and play one friendly game over the weekend. The nationals are going to be grueling and competitive. We are not putting pressure on the boys and we will be happy with whatever result we get.”

Striker Breidyn Schaper is the team’s star player.  His sterling performance caught the eye of the Mamelodi Sundowns scout that attended the tournament.

Breidyn has been playing soccer from the age of six and is following in his father, Shawn Schaper’s footsteps. The older Schaper played for Amazulu for a number of years. “He influenced me to play soccer. I want to start where he finished off and hopefully go further than he got,” Breidyn said.

Breidyn scored 5 goals during the provincial finals and is looking forward to more at the nationals. “I am hoping to score in every game, but I know it won’t be easy,” he said.  “The week before the nationals my dad and I are going to review my performance at the provincials and see what I need to improve on come the nationals.”

Results of the Gauteng Provincial Finals:

Arcon 1 vs Bree 1 (Arcon won on penalties)

Lotus 0 vs Farrarmere 2

Sonqoba 2 vs Sihluziwe 0

Mathlasedi 2 vs Nationwide 1

Arcon 0 vs Sonqoba 2

Lotus 4 vs Mathlasedi 1

Bree 2 vs Sihluziwe 0

Farrarmere 0 vs Nationwide 0 (Nationwide won on penalties)

Sihluziwe 0  vs Arcon 0 (Sihluziwe won on penalties)

Nationwide 1 vs Lotus 1 (Nationwide won on penalties)

Sonqoba 0 vs Bree 0 (Bree won on penalties)

Mathlasedi 0 vs Farrarmere 3

Final - Farrarmere 2 Sonqobo 1

The nine provincial champions are:

Roodepan Primary School (Kimberley) - Frances Bard district, Northern Cape

Siphumelele Primary School (Inanda) – Pinetown district, KwaZulu-Natal

Credo Primary School (Sasolburg) - Fezile Dabi district, Free State

Rev MP Malatjie Primary School (Seshego) - Capricorn district, Limpopo

Kgetleng Primary School (Swartruggens) -  Ngaka Modiri Molema district, North West

Johannes Kananda Primary School (Witbank) – Nkangala district, Mpumalanga

Caley Junior Secondary School (Butterworth) – Amathole district, Eastern Cape

Lukhanyo Primary School (Hermanus) – Overberg, Western Cape

Farrarmere Primary School (Benoni) – Ekurhuleni North district, Gauteng

KZN schools start qualifying for the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial finals

Hillview Secondary School of Newlands East in Durban are the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Umlazi district winners and have qualified to play in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial finals, hoping to get the R100 000 that goes with winning the title.

The 2014 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup soccer tournament is well underway with a record 4 000 schools in action at cluster and regional levels.  All want to win a portion of the R3.4 million on offer in prize money.

Hillview will be participating in the tournament for the third time and this will be the second time they have come this far. “In 2012 we reached the provincial finals, but were knocked out, and last year we were knocked out early in the competition. Hopefully this year we will take it a step further and win through to the national finals, but I know this will not be easy,” said manager/coach, Ben Moodley.  He believes his team’s success to date this season is due to all players competing for local clubs in the community.

What has also driven the players to do well is the fact that they know that scouts attend the provincial finals and they know this will be their chance to be seen.  “None of them are with academies, but there are a couple that I believe have exceptional skills and could go far under correct coaching guidance,” said Moodley, who has no coaching qualifications and relies on reading books and watching soccer, either live or on television.

Over the past few years the tournament has been dominated by academies, but this does not worry Moodley. “We will tackle the academies like any other school,” he said.  “Every year it gets tougher and tougher to maintain your position in the tournament and this is purely due to sponsors such as Sanlam and the Motsepe Foundation, together with the South African Schools Football Association, who provide the platform for schools to promote themselves so we all go that extra mile to improve the team to gain that competitive edge.”

The 2014 Hillview team consists mainly of new players, but they have four back from last year of which two will play a key role in the team.  “My striker and captain, Sabelo Mqune, and midfielder, Leon Abrahams are quick with their feet, and their passing skills are accurate. Their future in soccer is looking bright but they just need a little bit of grooming. They have been instrumental in the team’s

success in this tournament. Their experience is valuable because we have a number of under-17 players in the team.”

Fitness is key to the success of the team in the provincial finals believes Moodley.  “At the provincials we will be playing a lot of games on a day so the team’s fitness levels are crucial.  So, we have been doing sprints, power work, agility and speed training to ensure that the boys are fit enough for the tournament. I had to research exercise programs that focus entirely on fitness to make sure that happens.”

The first Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial final will take place at the Giant Stadium in Soshanguve on Saturday, 2 August 2014. 

Powerade Schools Programme helps born sportsmen power through adversity and improve performance.

Powerade Schools Programme helps born sportsmen power through adversity and improve performance.

Whether it’s a game with professionals or a local school derby… There is Power in Every Game.

Passionate young soccer players from across South Africa can be part of the excitement of the 2014 FIFA World Cup® through Powerade’s There’s Power in Every Game campaign, aimed at assisting born sportsmen reach their ultimate sports goals through understanding effective conditioning and hydration.  It also aims to motivate them to power through adversity and inspire and motivate their team mates and community at large.

Globally, Powerade, the official sports drink of the 2014 FIFA World Cup®, unveiled the campaign featuring Andrés Iniesta, who memorably scored Spain’s winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Final.  In the campaign Iniesta shares his story of how he powered through his own challenges to achieve the highest level of success on the world’s biggest sporting stage. To watch the latest video click here.

In South Africa, the campaign will target where true born sportsmen are identified, and that is at school level, through the Powerade Schools Programme. 

In recognition of coaches being the key influencers within the school environment, Powerade kicked-off the local campaign with two coaches’ clinics that were run in partnership with the Dutch KNVB World Coaching Programme, one of the leading global soccer coaching programmes.

In total over 70 school soccer coaches attended the clinics, which were held in Pretoria and Stellenbosch.  Most of the coaches, whose first priority is education, have no formal coaching qualifications. At the clinics they were exposed to international best practices, the latest training information and given insights gathered and utilised by some of the best international soccer coaches from around the world.

The campaign, now entering its second phase, shifts focus back to born sportsmen as pupils from selected schools across the country stand the chance to win exclusive Powerade Performance Sessions in soccer, rugby and cricket for their school by participating in the Powerade Collect-a-Cap competition.

The Powerade Performance Session in soccer will be hosted by ex Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs captain, Neil Tovey. He, like Iniesta, knows the challenges that need to be tackled in order to play professionally and is well positioned to give aspiring players advice and support.

“We recognise that there is power in every game and through the Powerade Schools Programme, born sportsmen will be introduced to the science of correct training, proper nutrition and the benefits of hydration to help enable them to reach peak fitness at the right time. Whether it is a professional game in Maracana or a local schools derby, there is power in every game.” explained James Maclachlan, IMC Marketing Assets Manager of Coca-Cola South Africa.

“Through our Powerade Schools Programme we are bringing our 2014 FIFA World Cup® campaign to life by touching the lives of everyone that is involved in the careers of a soccer player. This campaign reflects Powerade’s commitment and ongoing support of born sportsmen by providing them with platforms to improve their sporting performances,” he concluded.

 About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands.  Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle.  Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks.  Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 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.  Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.  For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Powerade

Powerade is a brand of The Coca-Cola Company, and is available in 70 markets, including Australia, USA, Canada, Great Britain, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Spain and South Africa.  Powerade combines carbohydrates, electrolytes with fluids for energy and hydration.  It quenches thirst and replenishes minerals and carbohydrates lost during sports or other intense activities.  In most markets, Powerade is scientifically formulated with the ION4® Advanced Electrolyte System, which helps replenish 4 key electrolytes lost in sweat: Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, & Magnesium

Champions, Clapham, win through to the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Inter district finals

Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup defending champions Clapham High School are safely through to the inter district stage of this year’s competition after winning the Tshwane North district finals.

While team manager, Johannes Petje, is happy with the way the tournament is progressing, he cautions that there are a couple of areas that need to be improved upon prior to the inter district finals, taking place on 24 and 25 July. “The team is a balance between new and old players,” he said. “We are tactically more advanced than other schools, but still need to adjust to playing four games in one day as we do in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.”

Petje admits that most schools are nervous when they play against Clapham as they are the champions, but says the games have been challenging.

There are a number of players; Petje believes could shine in the competition.  “Sihle Mbhele (midfielder), Motsi Matima (midfielder) and Ntando Ngubane (striker), are all part of the Sundowns Academy team and are players to watch out for,” he said.

“Then there is Siphelele Khebetsi, who has been exceptional this year.  “He is a striker that makes things happen.  He holds the team together and is a very influential player. His style of play is similar to Percy Tau and I predict he will make waves in this tournament.”

Added to those players are some recruited into the school team after the Mamelodi Sundowns camp at the end of last year. “Tami Mpusana and Ofentse Motlhanke were both from Louis Botha, Kableo Mabasa from Harmony High and Jason Skippers from Cloetesville have joined our team this year,” Petje said. “Their performance is great, they are doing the team proud and I hope that they continue doing so,”

Rhulani Mokoena is still the head coach of the team, and they have added an assistant coach in Mike Manzini, a former footballer for Mamelodi Sundowns. “He brings in his expertise and knowledge,” Petje said. “I believe that he and Rhulani together make a great team and they will take the current squad to new heights.”

The partnership between the school and Mamelodi Sundowns has benefited the school immensely says Petje. “Since they have come on board it has had a positive effect on every sporting codes as all kids want to excel in their  respective sports and they also want recognition just like the soccer team had last year. It has boosted participation in sport this year.”

Clapham won the R1.1 million 2013 first prize, as well as R100 000 as provincial champions, and are currently finalising their wish lists on how they want to spend their winnings.

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·           The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·           The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·           The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·           The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Gauteng school hopes to repeat their Danone Nations Cup past success

Johannesburg’s Bree Primary School will always be remembered as the school that won an under-12 Danone Nations Cup world title for South Africa.

In 2010 they won the world finals at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, after the previous year’s tournament in Brazil was held over because of the worldwide outbreak of H1N1 influenza (swine flu). So, they are the official 2009 Danone Nations Cup world champions, and they represented South Africa in the 2008 world finals in France as well.

They will be trying to relive those glory days this year and the first step will be on Saturday 14^th June at Reiger Park’s WJ Clements Stadium when they play in the Gauteng provincial finals of the competition. Games kick-off at 9am.  Gauteng is the final province to host their finals with the nine provincial winners going on to compete in the national finals on 28 June to determine the school to represent South Africa at the World Finals in Brazil.

Bree Primary School’s principal Devanand Kalicharran is also the team’s manager. He recalls 2010 fondly. “We were happy that we won this prestigious tournament at home with our supporters cheering us on. The Danone Nations Cup changed the lives of the 2008 and 2009 players; travelling abroad, being in newspapers, doing interviews, meeting our legendary past president, Mr Nelson Mandela and meeting kids from all around the world showed them they can achieve anything that they want to achieve in life,” he said.

Kalicharran puts the success of those teams down to hard work. “You need to work hard in order to obtain maximum results and that’s what the 2008 and 2009 teams did,” he said. “Both teams were made up of determined individuals who wanted to bring change to the school and I guess sharing the same goal made it possible for us to win even though it was not easy.”

Kalicharran says he tries to keep in touch with some of those players. Some are still studying at high school and others are at university. “Our captain of the winning team in 2009 was Njabulo Magubane who is currently studying and he plays for the South African under- 19 team.  He regularly comes to the school and helps us with coaching. He does motivational talks with the students, especially with the aspiring soccer players at the school,” Kalicharran said.

The current Bree Primary team has been groomed since 2012 and have done well so far this year. “Playing in the districts was tough but we managed to pull through all those games,” Kalicharran said. “We need to focus on our strikers and mid fielders, they need to create more chances and score goals. I believe that they are capable of repeating what the 2008 and 2009 teams did.”

Bafana Dlamini, who coached the 2009 world champion team, is still in charge of the team. “The team’s progress has been due to his excellent coaching skills and he strongly believes that this team could well win the title for the school, ´ said Kalicharran. “We are both very passionate about soccer and about making a difference in the lives of these boys. That’s why we enter this tournament because we know that it will have a huge impact in their lives and on their soccer careers.”

Kalicharran is reluctant to single out individual players. “The entire team is brilliant; I can’t single out one specific player as they play as a united front. I appreciate their dedication, they are young but their attitude is that of professional players.”

The schools participating in the Gauteng provincial finals are:

Bree Primary School-Johannesburg South region

Lotus Primary School- Tshwane West region

Sihluziwe Primary-Gauteng North region

Sonqoba Primary-Ekurhuleni South region

Faramere Primary-Ekurhuleni North region

Matlhasedi Primary-Gauteng West

Arcon Park Primary-Sedibeng East

Nationwide Primary-Johannesburg South

Danone Partners:

Gauteng North to hold Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup District Qualifiers

Chipa-Tabane Secondary School will, for the second year in succession, be playing in the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup district qualifiers taking place at the Steve Bikoville Secondary School in Korana Gardens Hammanskraal, on Saturday June 7.

According to coach, Hosea Digashu, the team has been training hard in preparation for the district finals and he believes they are physically and mentally prepared for the challenge.  “Training is more intense now and we are focusing on passing and dribbling skills.  We want to dominate in every game and have ball possession all the time,” he said.

The school won the Gauteng North district qualifiers in 2013 but were beaten by Rosina Sedibane at the inter district finals and according to Digashu, they are ready for them this time around should they meet them again. “They were tough competition last year and we didn’t stand a chance against their Supersport Academy players,” he said. “But every year is different with players moving on and new ones coming in and this could be our year.”  Chipa-Tabane’s dream could well be a reality now that Supersport has withdrawn their players from Rosina.

Digashu has no formal coaching qualifications and has been researching on how to improve his knowledge and skills. “I believe that it’s made a huge difference in how I coach, I’m more aware of the teams’ opinions and I give them platform to express themselves now.”

He says they are expecting tough competition at the district finals. “We are used to playing against these schools and we know their style of play. So far it’s been easy, but the real competition will start on Saturday.”

The team will be missing some of its best players who will be away at initiation school on Saturday. “That will be a major problem for us. I had to make changes and I’m hoping that they will pay off come Saturday.  Our biggest weakness will be in the striking department.”

According to Digashu, Steve Bikoville Secondary will be the team to beat on Saturday.  “They have 4 players that are part of the Tuks development team in the under-15 and under-17 division and others attended Mamelodi Sundowns trials last year.”

The participating schools in the Gauteng North District Finals are:

Chipa-Tabane Secondary School - Cullinan district

Ekangala Comprehensive School - Ekangala district

Lingitjhudu Secondary School - Ekangala district

Steve Bikoville Secondary School – Cullinan district

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·           The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·           The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·           The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·           The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

CSA names Nokuzola Javu KFC Mini-Cricket Coach of the Year

From an exceptional pool of dedicated individuals getting kids active around South Africa, Nokuzola Javu from the Eastern Cape has been named as the 2013/14 KFC Mini-Cricket Coach of the Year at the prestigious Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards which took place on Wednesday, 4 June 2014.

“Looking back on another successful and highly active season of KFC Mini-Cricket, we are proud that not only the number of participants, but also the unique opportunities to get active have substantially increased. Awarding the coach of the Year award to Nokuzola perfectly highlights how dedicated and committed coaches from around the country are taking this programme from strength to strength,” commented Lauren Turnbull, CSI and Sponsorship Manager of KFC South Africa.

KFC Mini-Cricket gives kids of all ages and abilities the chance to get active, even those that are differently abled, physically or intellectually. Nokuzola is a grade 3 teacher at the Mzamonhle Special School in Uitenhage, a school she felt compelled to teach at when offered a position there 15 years ago. It is at Mzamonhle that she was introduced to the power and joy of sport, and more specifically KFC Mini-Cricket.

Due to the environment of the Mzamonhle Special School, its KFC Mini-Cricket programme is used as a tool to get the kids active, and help them develop confidence and a positive attitude. This presented a unique set of challenges, as the differently abled learners had to play against kids from more conventional backgrounds, which naturally affected Nokuzola’s learners. However Nokuzola’s determination and drive to get her kids active inspired Cricket South Africa and the Eastern Province Cricket Union to create a special group for LSEN schools to compete with each other, in an initiative that saw Nokuzola become its director in the Eastern Cape.

Transport was another challenge which Nokuzola had to face. As the LSEN schools in the Eastern Cape are located quite far apart, and with pupils often finishing their school days at different times depending on their individual needs, it was decided that all matches would be played in Port Elizabeth on a fortnightly basis.

By hosting these unique KFC Mini-Cricket festivals for LSEN schools at one dedicated venue, the challenge of transport was solved as LSEN schools were able to share transport and set aside specific time as a group for this exciting outing. This has not only provided a greater structure for participation, but also ensured that more kids in the Eastern Cape are regularly getting active by playing a game that they love.

Nokuzola, a mother herself, has also seen Siyabulela Mantewa, one of her young Mzamonhle learners, progress through the cricketing ranks to make the Proteas intellectually impaired team. Siyabulela’s achievements are testament to both the effectiveness and impact of the KFC Mini-Cricket programme and the talented effort and dedication of Nokuzola.

Lauren Turnbull, CSI & Sponsorship Manager of KFC South Africa comments, “With over 107 000 kids from across the country actively involved in KFC Mini-Cricket, this number will only continue to grow as more and more kids are benefiting from the work of dynamic and committed teachers and coaches like Nokuzola.”

When receiving her award, Nokuzola was quick to acknowledge and thank Naziera Jafta, Landiwe Ndongane and Timothy Rennick, who had assisted her in organising transport, branding, fixtures and promoting KFC Mini-Cricket at their schools.

David Mokopanele, Youth Cricket Officer from Cricket South Africa concludes, “Nokuzola has managed to uplift the lives of numerous kids in the Eastern Cape. She is a role model for the rest of the country and a shining example that regardless of your ability or background, getting active with KFC Mini-Cricket is something that all kids in South Africa can look forward to and be a part of. We are so proud to have her as our Mini-Cricket Coach of the Year.”

Lukhanyo Primary School to represent Western Cape at the Danone Nations Cup

Lukhanyo Primary School, of Hermanus in the Overberg district, is the 2014 Western Cape provincial champions in the under-12 Danone Nations Cup competition. They beat Koekenaap Primary 1-0 in the final last Saturday to qualify for a spot in the national finals in Boksburg on 28 June and, with it, a chance to challenge for a trip to Brazil to play in the Danone Nations Cup world finals.

Michael Manqola, the team’s manager, is proud of his team’s achievements. “We were knocked out in the provincial finals in 2012 and it has taken us another two years, but we have got here again – and this time we are the provincial champions.”

Striker and team captain, Zolani Ngcambu was the hero of the day on Saturday.  “I hope there are some scouts at the national finals as this youngster deserves to get into an academy,” he said.  “He scored 6 goals in four games leading up to the provincial finals and took 2 penalties at the provincials to help us win through to the final.  He is a determined young boy with good leadership qualities.”

The team did not start well on the day, said Ngcambu.  Firstly, for all the boys it was their first time they spent a night in a hotel.  “I was surprised at how unsettled the boys were.  They didn’t sleep well and the day started off slowly.  They are all new to the tournament so felt a bit intimidated by seasoned professionals like Cloetesville Primary who are known in Cape Town as the top football school.” Ngcambu credited his young captain for the way he stepped up to the plate and helped ease the nerves of his fellow team mates and gave them encouragement to get the nerves under control.

Manqola will be focusing on motivating the team leading up to the nationals.  “The Nationals will be a completely different ball game and we need to start the day with guns blazing so my focus for the next couple of weeks will be to get the kids excited.  We need to be a united front from the beginning until the end and in that way we leave no gap for the opposition to counter attack us,” he said.

Manqola is encouraging his players to make friends with other players from different provinces at the national final and enjoy every minute.  “They know Johannesburg as the biggest city where everything happens and they are looking forward to the adventure.  No matter what happens at the national final, the boys will get to experience the fast pace of the city and will take home with them treasured memories.”

But the prize of a trip to play in the World Finals is definitely worth fighting for. “We just need to remain focused, and make sure that we cover all our bases on the field and we will take it one game at a time.”

Western Cape Provincial Finals Results

Koekenaap PS 1 vs Cloetesville PS 0

Ysterplaat PS 0 vs PJ Badenhorst PS 0 PJ Badenhorst won on penalties

Lukhanyo PS 1 (3) v Teske MPS 1 (2)

Koekenaap PS 0 vs Ysterplaat PS 0 Ysterplaat won on penalties

Cloetesville PS 0 vs PJ Badenhorst PS 0 Cloetesville won on penalties

Lukhanyo PS 1 vs Koekenaap PS 0

Teske MPS 1 vs Ysterplaat PS 0

Cloetesville PS 0 vs Lukhanyo PS 0 Lukhanyo won on penalties

PJ Badenhorst PS 0 vs Koekenaap PS 0 Koekenaap won on penalties

Teske MPS 0  vs Cloetesville PS 0 Teske MPS won on penalties

Ysterplaat PS 2 vs Lukhanyo PS 0

Teske MPS 3 vs PJ Badenhorst PS 0

Cloetesville PS 1 vs Ysterplaat PS 0

Koekenaap PS 1 vs Teske MPS 0

PJ Badenhorst PS 1  vs Lukhanyo PS 1 Lukhanyo won on penalties

Final - Koekenaap Primary 0 vs Lukhanyo Primary 1