Mamelodi Sundowns come on board to prepare Bree Primary School for the Danone Nations Cup world finals

Mamelodi Sundowns FC has come aboard to assist the under-12 Bree Primary School team prepare for the Danone Nations Cup World Finals happening in Morocco between the 23rd and 25th October.

On Saturday, 22 August, a friendly match took place between Bree the Mamelodi Sundowns U13 development team which was followed by a trip to the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville to watch the PSL match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Wits University.

The boys were taken into the dressing room to meet the Sundowns players after the game and Sundowns scout, Trott Moloto, spoke to the boys and gave them insights into what to expect when travelling and playing internationally.

Bree surprised the Mamelodi Sundowns squad and technical team when they won the match 4-1.  According to the coach, Fire Maselela, there are some extremely talented boys in the team and he was impressed with the confidence and structure of the entire team on the field. His advice to the team leading up to Morocco was that they should play as many games against older boys as possible.

“Our players are usually smaller than those from other countries, so they need to get used to playing against stronger boys and must not feel intimidated,” said Maselela.  “There are many factors that contribute to SA players being smaller, it’s a reality and the boys must not allow this to affect the way they play,” he said.

He also noticed that the boys tired in the second half of the game. “They scored 4 goals very quickly in the first half but then faded and allowed Sundowns to get one back in the second half,” he said.

Bree principal, Dave Kalicharan, is the driving force behind the team. He is continuously motivating and praising the boys, which has contributed to their strong self-belief. 

Their plan for the next two months is to continue to play friendly games against teams that they have not played against before.  In this way they are getting the team used to facing the unknown. 

SASFA president, Mandla ‘Shoes’ Mazibuko said competing internationally is the key to the success of the Danone Nations Cup tournament. “To offer young under-12 boys the opportunity to travel overseas and play against other countries opens their eyes to the endless opportunities there are in the world.  It encourages them to work hard, dream big both on and off the football field,” he said.

“At this age they are developing the love for the game and we want to encourage them to keep fit and continue to play football.  Through sponsors like Danone SASFA is able to identify talent for the PSL clubs as well as the SAFA national teams.  These are the boys they need to keep an eye on as they grow,” ended Mazibuko.

 About Danone

Danone Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world.  Danone is present in over 120 countries across all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world

Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Northern Cape Provincial Finals Kick-Off

The Northern Cape under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Finals take place at the Robert Gunda Stadium in Upington on Saturday, 29 August.  There will be five regional winners competing for the   R100 000 first prize and a chance to play in the national finals.

Representing the Francis Baard District will be Kimberley’s Tetlanyo High School, who are in the provincial playoffs for the first time since they began playing in the tournament in 2011.

Phineas Seema, the team coach, is thrilled that they have progressed further than ever before and he attributes this to hard work. “All my players will be leaving school this year and they have been telling me since we started the qualifiers in March that they want to be the team to win R100 000 for the school,” he said.

Seema started working with these boys in 2011 and has taken them from under-14 through to under-19 level.

“I have seen the team grow consistently every year,” he said. “They communicate well on and off the field and their skills and confidence have greatly improved.”

The Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, has added a new dimension to school football said Seema. “The tournament helps build players confidence, gives them something to strive for and teaches them to work hard and always do your best.  Every school that registers wants to win and the level of football is extremely high and we learn a lot every year which helps build skills levels.”

Seema is particularly happy with the way the players have approached the tournament.  “When we started playing in the cluster games, we drafted a plan of action, and every time we reach a certain level we would go back and tick it off on our plan,” he said.

The journey has not been easysaid Seema.  “We played against some very competitive schools, Rietvale, from Ricthie, was the toughest opponents whom we faced in the regional finals.  They always have a good team and have won the provincials in the past.   We managed to beat them on penalties to get into the provincial finals.”

The team is determined to do well at the provincials. “We are not concerned as to which schools we will be facing and how experienced they are as it is all about what happens on the day. I tell the boys that when they get on the field it’s 11 players vs 11 players, past credentials don’t matter when its game time.”

The teams participating in the Northern Cape provincial finals are:

·       Tetlanyo High School – Francis Baard District

·       Okiep High School-Namaqua District

·       Remmogo High School- John Taolo Gaetsewe District

·       Weslaan Hoerskool-Pixley Ka Seme District

·       Groblershoop High School-ZF Mgcawu District

Benny's Sports Development and Academy are five times Kay Motsepe Schools Cup champions.

Benny’s Sports Development and Academy are the Limpopo Kay Motsepe Schools Cup champions for the fifth time.  They beat Mammoka High School 4 – 1 in a penalty shoot on Saturday at the Mahwelereng Stadium in Mokopane.  Both teams qualify for the national finals taking place in Soweto from 5 – 10 October.

Justice Matloga has coached all five teams to victory and admits that every year is challenging. “Each year is a different experience, we never know what to expect it’s not like we have a formula figured out or anything,” he said.

This year’s team is a young one, made up of mainly 17 year-old and Matloga said the idea was to give them some experience in the competition. “They will have three years in this tournament which is great exposure for them,” he said.

“I must say that they surprised me. They did exceptionally well in this tournament and I know that they will continue to surprise me even further at the nationals.”

The team did not do very well at last year’s national playoffs – they were knocked out in the early round and ended up in 11^th place.

“This year we will take it in one step at a time and do better than last year.  Winning the nationals has been long overdue.  We started playing in the tournament a long time ago and this year our primary goal is to win the national title.  This is a young team and they have the energy and the hunger for success.”

Matloga is well aware of what the nationals are all about and admits it’s a different ball game compared to the provincials. “The competition is tighter and the standards are extremely high.  Then there are scouts from the clubs there, which all adds pressure on the boys as they have to perform.”

Matloga has been at Benny’s for 11 years now, and his philosophy is to enter all the teams into as many different soccer tournaments as possible to make sure that the players gain practical knowledge of the game.

“We identify players from the under-12 age group and nurture them as they progress through the various age groups to ensure that they develop good habits and are well disciplined. I think that what has made us so successful in Limpopo for so many years has been the careful preparation we put in. I’m hoping that preparation will take us all the way to the national title this year.”

Results

Mammoka 2 vs Gwenane 0

Kgahlana Morulana 1 vs Benny’s 2

Gwenane 1 vs Magoza 0

Benny’s 2 vs Kgahlana Morulana 0

Magoza 1 vs Mammoka 1

Final

Benny’s 1 (4) vs Mammoka 1 (1)

Orlando Pirates youngster recalls his Danone Nations Cup world final experience

Young Siyanda Ngubo’s international football career started when he was just 12 years old when he represented Bree Primary School in the 2008 Danone Nations Cup world finals in France.  Since then he has been with the Orlando Pirates development academy and has played for the under 17, under 19 and Bafana Bafana national teams.

Siyanda is now 19 years old and a bright football future awaits him.   He is currently on loan to Royal Eagles in Durban for the season before returning to Orlando Pirates.  “Soccer is everything to me.  I have played with and against great players and have been coached by great coaches.  It has been an interesting and exciting journey since my Danone Nations Cup days and I look forward to what the future holds.  I am hoping to get in more play time when I get back to Orlando Pirates.”

Siyanda looks back fondly on his year at Bree Primary and his trip to France and admits it played a huge part in his development as a player.  “The world finals opened my eyes to the opportunities there are out there and helped build my confidence.”

His road to football success began humbly.  “I used to play soccer in the streets of Kwamakhutha in Durban with my friends,” he said. “Then when I was 9 years old my friends and I decided to join the local club in the area, Young Boys.”

His coach at the time was Mlungisi Mchunu who saw the potential in the youngster and in 2007 took some of the boys to Johannesburg to attend trails at Orlando Pirates. “We were there for a week. Then a week after being home I received the call from Mandla Qhoki of Orlando Pirates development who informed me that I should start packing because Orlando Pirates wanted to sign me for their Academy.”

In January 2008 Siyanda joined Bree Primary on a scholarship.  “I will never forget that year. It was the year that I got signed to the academy and the year that I got to travel internationally for the very first time,” Siyanda said.

“I could not believe that I was joining the very club that I loved so much.  Being a part of the academy was inspirational.  We interacted with the first team and got to travel and play soccer. My first trip was to France and that experience helped me decide that football was going to be my life no matter what. This shaped and paved my soccer career and I will forever be grateful for both Danone and Orlando Pirates.”

Siyanda remembers every minute of the trip to France.  One of the highlights was seeing the Eiffel tower.  “We would also sing when we got out of our buses, before a match and even after a game. All countries loved us, they loved hearing us sing, and we won the trophy for team spirit at the end of the tournament.”

After completing primary school Siyanda went to Johannesburg Secondary School where he matriculated.

In 2011, at age 15, he was selected to be a part of the SA under-17 national team. “It was my first call up and I was honoured to wear the national jersey, I wore it with pride because I worked very hard to get selected. We played qualifying games for the u-17 African Championship but unfortunately we didn’t qualify.”

In 2012 he was selected for the SA u-20 national team that won the Cosafa Cup, and in 2014 Orlando Pirates signed Siyanda and loaned him to a North West team called NW Shining Stars who participate in the ABC Motsepe League.

He was there for one year and that same year got his first senior national call up.

“When Shakes Mashaba was coaching us as under 20’s he always said that if we play well and work hard we will get more call ups. So when I was selected I knew that it was because I was working hard and it showed, Shakes credits hard workers and gives them a chance,” Siyanda said.

He played in the SA senior team during the Nelson Mandela challenge. “I learned so much from all the players that I played with. They knew that it was my first time and they gave me advice and just told me to play and forget about the nerves.”

Siyanda has some advice for the Bree team that has qualified for the Danone Nations Cup world finals happening in Morocco in October.  “Firstly I want to congratulate the team for reaching the World Finals.  It is not an easy achievement I know how hard it is. My advice would be to just play the soccer that they know best and they should not try to imitate what other countries are doing.

“Scoring goals early in the games is very important.  They must relax, be focused and remember to have fun, make friends and enjoy Morocco.”

About Danone

Danone Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world.  Danone is present in over 120 countries across all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world

Mammoka High School is hoping luck will be on their side at the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Limpopo Provincial Final.

The under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Limpopo Provincial Finals take place at the Mahwelereng Stadium in Makopane on 22 August. Games kick-off at 9.30am. There will be five regional winners participating with the winning school getting R100 000 to spend on legacy projects that will benefit not only the school learners, but also the community at large.

Polokwane’s Mammoka High School has been competing in the tournament for many years now and 2015 is just the second time the school has made it to the provincial finals.  The last time was in 2012  when they finished second to Benny’s Sports Academy and went through to the national finals where they finished in seventh position out of 18 teams playing.

“We have been wanting to return ever since then,” said Godfrey Maoto, the coach of the team, “so this is a big achievement for us.”

Maoto said that playing in the nationals in 2012 was an eye-opener for him as a coach. “The two teams representing Gauteng, Rosina Sedibane and School of Excellence, played exceptionally well.  But that’s all in the past now, it’s time to make new memories this year.”

Mammoka has a young side this year made up mainly of under-17 players.  “We do have a problem with striking power up front and have had to depend on our midfielders to get goals for us,” Maoto said. “There’s no time to fix that now, so we will have to make do.”

The big challenge for the team is getting enough training time. Five of the players are from outlying rural areas and have to travel far to come to practices, and the school does not have a soccer field, so they have to share a local public ground with other teams, which is not ideal.

Their biggest competition at the Provincial Finals is likely to come from Benny’s Sports Development & Academy, the school that has won the Limpopo title the most times in recent years.

“I am looking forward to meeting up with them this year,” Maoto said. “They beat us the last time we met, but we both have new teams now and the slate is clean.”

Maoto has been coaching since 2006 and has been playing, and coaching, at a local team, Dipitsi FC for many years. He played his last game for them at the age of 42 years.

He coached Tefo Mashamaite (an ex Kaizer Chiefs player who is currently with for BK Hacken in Sweden) when he attended school at Mammoka.

“Soccer has always been my passion, it is my life. I love unearthing talented players and grooming them to become professionals. I look forward to discovering more talent and hopefully the professional scouts at the finals will be interested in a few of my boys,” he said.

The teams participating in the Limpopo Provincial Finals are:

Benny’s Sports Development & Academy – Vhembe District

Mammoka High School – Capricorn District

Kgahlana Morulana High School - Sekhukhune District

Magoza Secondary School - Mopani District

Gwenare Secondary School - Waterberg District

Walmer High School wins Eastern Province Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial finals

Port Elizabeth’s Walmer High School beat Pangalele Secondary School on penalties to be crowned the Eastern Cape under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial soccer champions.

Not only does the school qualify for the national finals in October, but also get the R100 000 provincial first prize to use to fund legacy projects at the school that will benefit the students as well as the broader community. All is not lost for Pangalele as they also qualify for the national finals and stand a chance to win the R1 million first prize or R600 000, R500 000 or R400 000 if they finish in second, third or fourth place respectively.

Walmer have been playing in the tournament since 2013.  Last year they made it through to the provincial finals where they lost in the final to Lingelihle SSS, but did get a berth in the national finals.

Their team manager, Lunga Lloyd, said they have redeemed themselves this year by winning the provincial title. “This year we have an experienced team – seven of last year’s team are back – and we have done well.  The players are truly committed to this tournament,” he said. 

“I thought that my team did a pretty good job, although they were nervous,” Lloyd said. “We were the host school and therefore had home ground advantage and the team had no choice but to play for a win and not disappoint the fans.”

Lloyd said the victory was a team effort, although midfielder, Philasande Manzi, has been one of their stars and has caught the attention of the professional scouts.

The next step is the nationals and Lloyd said they go back to the drawing board now to rectify the mistakes they made at last year’s finals. “We did badly last year, not due to lack of skills, but because the players never realised how strong the competition was. This time we need to concentrate and focus on why we qualified and what we want to achieve.”

The team is training hard now and will take each game as it comes and try to remain one step ahead of their opponents, Lloyd said.

“The teams from Gauteng, KZN and the Free State will be tough, however we will fight tooth and nail to make sure that we at least rank much higher than we did last year,” he concluded.

Eastern Cape Provincial Finals Results:

Stream A

St James SSS 2 vs. TEM Mrwetyana 0

Walmer HS 0 vs. Tsholomnqa SSS 0

St James SSS 0 vs. Walmer 0

TEM Mrwetyana 0 vs. Tsholomnqa 2

St James SSS 3 vs. Tsholomnqa 1

Walmer HS 5 vs. TEM Mrwetyana 1

Stream B

Malcomess SSS 0 vs. Toleni SSS 0

Malcomess SSS 1 vs. Pangalele SSS 1

Toleni SSS 0 vs. Pangalele SSS 1

Final

Walmer 0 vs. Pangalele 0. Walmer won 3-2 on penalties.

The biggest cricket tour of the summer is here

This summer schools from all over South Africa are preparing to pit their KFC Mini-Cricket teams against the best the country has to offer in the action packed third installment of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour. Running from Friday, 14 August 2015, to Tuesday, 18 February 2016, the tour is 137 days longer than the Proteas’ September tour to India.  The four part KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour is billed as the longest tour in the cricketing calendar.

Mike Middleton, Chief Marketing Officer for KFC South Africa comments, “KFC is once again thrilled to be bringing the KFC Kids vs Proteas Tour to schools and kids across South Africa, and this year the tour promises to be bigger and better than ever before. We are proud supporters of cricket in South Africa and are committed to giving all kids the opportunity get active and closer to their cricketing heroes, the Proteas.”

The action packed 2015/2016 tour will see four lucky winning schools have home ground advantage, as they host and take on the Proteas at their school.

KFC has also confirmed the signing of legendary cricketing heroes Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie and Mfuneko Ngam to coach the kids. The KFC Mini-Cricket coaches will be hosting training sessions at each of the winning schools to ensure their games are in tip top shape for their match-up against the Proteas.

KFC Mini-Cricket coach and former Proteas Captain Graeme Smith knows all about the intensity experienced when preparing for a tour of this magnitude. Smith comments, “The pressure is on and KFC Mini-Cricket kids all over the country are hard at work in their preparations to take on the Proteas.  This is a rivalry which goes back three years and I know neither side will want to be on the losing end of the tour come February next year.  The Proteas are one of the top limited overs sides in the world but I am confident we will be ready for them come game 1.”

With both the KFC Mini-Cricket kids and the Proteas going into this years’ tour with a series win in hand, both teams will be looking to assert themselves right from the first ball.

Proteas T20 Captain, Faf du Plessis says, “This tour is without a doubt one of the highlights of our cricketing calendar. The KFC Mini-Cricket kids are well known for their sharp skills and quick feet, and we are anticipating a real test of skill and are looking to try and get an early lead in the series.”

Smith continues, “It is going to be a long tour, but we are up for the challenge and determined to bring the game to the Proteas. I have full confidence in my KFC Mini-Cricket kids and I know that they are going to bring their A-games this summer.”

“We at KFC wish all KFC Mini-Cricketers the best of luck in their bid to win a chance to take on the Proteas in the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids v Proteas Tour,” concludes Middleton.

Give your school the chance to host and take on the Proteas. Dial *120*7535# or visit www.kfcminicricket.co.za now to enter.

 

About the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids v Proteas Tour

For the third year KFC will run a national competition where KFC Mini-Cricket kids will stand the chance to play against the Proteas in the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour

Kids can enter online (www.kfcminicricket.co.za) or via USSD (*120*7535#)

The winners will be rewarded with a prize handover, a training session and a game against the Proteas, all assisted by one of the three KFC Mini-Cricket coaches, Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie and Mfuneko Ngam.

The runners-up will be given the opportunity to participate as ball boys and girls at a televised Ram Slam T20 Challenge match in their area

Three third place winners will be drawn, each of whom will be awarded with 25 KFC Mini-Cricket sets for their school.

About KFC Mini-Cricket

KFC Mini-Cricket provides a platform for kids in South Africa to have fun and get active

KFC Mini-Cricket is the largest grassroots development sports programme in South Africa and is also an essential building block for learning cricketing basics and entrenching a love for the game. 

There are currently over 110 000 kids from over 4 900 schools active in the KFC Mini-Cricket programme who are coached by over 8000 volunteers

KFC has sponsored KFC Mini-Cricket since 2010 and in the 2012/13 cricket season KFC became the title sponsor of the KFC T20 Internationals and an associate sponsor of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge.

KFC has recently renewed its Mini-Cricket sponsorship for a further 10 years, taking the partnership through to 2025

Log on to www.kfcminicricket.co.za or contact CSA at (011) 880 2810 for more info on KFC Mini-Cricket

HTS Louis Botha emerge as champions of the Free State Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Finals

Bloemfontein’s HTS Louis Botha beat Dr Reginald Cingo Secondary School from Kroonstad on penalties to emerge as the under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Free State provincial champions.  They take home R100 000 prize money and automatically qualify for the national finals where they get the chance to increase their winnings.  In terms of the rules of the competition Dr Reginald Cingo also qualify for the provincial finals.

HTS Louis Botha last won the title, and went on to finish second in the national finals of the tournament in 2013, and their coach, Prince Sani, said they were always confident they would make it to the nationals again this year.

“The team has worked hard since the beginning of the year and we came into the provincials with a positive and clear attitude and confident players,” he said.

And, playing on their home ground also helped. “We were playing on a field that we are familiar with, and had the support of our students, parents and members of the 2013 team who came to watch,” Sani said.

The finals did not go completely smoothly – they had to play their last two games with 10 men after a player received a red card – but the coach said they fought all the way till the end.

“This year the competition was extremely tough, I must congratulate all the schools that made it to the provincials. I believe the best 6 schools were showcased on Saturday.”

Louis Botha were drawn in the same pool as close rivals Grey College, whom they played twice before the finals, and beat them both times.  During the provincial finals the game ended with neither team managing to score which shows that Grey came prepared, Sani said. “They have improved from the last time we met them, all the schools came well prepared.”

Louis Botha met Dr Reginald Cingo in the final match and Sani said they were their toughest competition on the day. The game ended in a 1-all draw but his side managed to win on penalties.

“Every year the level of schools soccer in the Free State improves. It was definitely better this year than in 2013 when we last won the provincials.”

Louis Botha was in a tough group, along with Grey College and Concordia High School –the team that eliminated the defending champions, Harmony, this year.

“I was wary of Concordia, they had beaten Harmony, one of the strongest teams in Free State, and I didn’t know anything about them,” Sani said.

“I did speak to their coach, and did some research, and the first league game was Grey v Concordia so I could watch them and study their style of play. They were a challenge, but we managed to beat them 1-0.”

As far as the nationals are concerned, this team has been at the national level before in other tournaments, Sani points out, so they have experience in that regard.

“But the Kay Motsepe is different. This is the most prestigious tournament and we need to apply a different approach. The team has been watching the recording of the 2013 final game against Clapham. It motivates them to put in 110% in each and every game,” Sani said.

“I have told them that it is their time rise to the occasion, this year we are not looking to be runners- up. The 1st prize which is what every school will be aiming for. I know that Gauteng and Western Cape always brings the best schools. That’s where the challenge will come from!” he said.

Results

Grey College 2 vs. Concordia 2

Grey College 0 vs. HTS Louis Botha 0

Concordia 0 vs. HTS Louis Botha 1

Dr Cingo 4 vs. Ikanyegeng 0

Dr Cingo 1 vs. Manthatisi 0

Ikanyegeng 0 vs. Manthatisi 1

Final

HTS Louis Botha 1 (6) vs. Dr Cingo 1 (5)

First timers participate in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Eastern Cape provincial finals

The Eastern Cape Provincial Finals in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, take place at Walmer High School in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 15th August.

In the finals this year, despite the fact that this is the first time they have participated in the competition are Tsholomqa High School of East London.

Their coach, Lilixa Ntebe, said they became aware of the tournament two years ago by a SASFA representative in their area. “This year we decided to research and get as much information as we could about the tournament and to register,” Ntebe said. “We think that this tournament is a good way to introduce the boys to high level soccer. It’s a great initiative to prepare the boys in becoming professional soccer players.”

The team played five games on their way to the final, winning four and drawing one. “We thought we would play a whole lot more matches, but I guess not a lot of schools from our area registered,” Ntebe said. “But it has been an interesting journey for the team. I think that the real competition will begin at the provincials.”

The coach says they have no idea how intense the competition will be, so they are not looking for great results from the team. “We just want them to learn as much as they can this year and get a better understanding of the tournament so that we can prepare better for next year,” he said.

The team has been playing in the local league, so they do they have some experience, Ntebe explains, and they are excited and anxious about the games, considering the fact that they have never played at this level before.

Ntebe has no coaching qualification and relies on his experience as a player to help him. “I have been passionate about soccer since a young age.  I am part of the school governing body and offered my services as a coach so I have been here since 2013,” said Ntebe.  “I have been working with the team since they were 17 so we have been together for a long time and they have a good understanding of each other and they understand how I operate.  At the end of the day, we both have the same objective which is to see the team succeed, so we have to work together to ensure that happens.”

Training is challenging he explains.  “Some of the players live far away from the school so we can only allocate one hour for training two times a week because they have to travel quiet a distance to their respective homes. But we make do with that and do as much training as we possibly can in that one hour.”

The schools participating are:

·        Walmer High School - Nelson Mandela Bay District

·        T.E.M Mrwetyana Sec School - Cacadu District

·        St James High School - Chris Hani District

·        Malcomess High School - Joe Gqabi District

·        Pangalele SSS - OR Tambo District

·        Toleni SSS - Alfred Nzo District

·        Tsholomqa High School - Amathole District 

COCA-COLA® U18 CRAVEN WEEK HERO TO DON GREEN AND GOLD

Blue Bulls scrumhalf, Embrose Papier, who was named the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day for day 5 of the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week has been selected for the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team which will be taking on England, France, Wales and Italy later this month. 

The team, which is made up of twenty six players, was selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven® Week in Stellenbosch.

Embrose, who hails from Hoerskool Garsfontein, is one of four players to retain his place in the squad and was one of five prestigious daily Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day winners at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week.

The Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day was awarded to a player who inspired or changed his team’s fortunes with a hero moment.  Embrose was selected for a standout run in the Blue Bull’s match against Boland, which lead to a try and inspired his team to a dominant win on the final day of the tournament.

As a result of his heroic play at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week, Embrose will now don the green and gold of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team in their upcoming international series. 

Fetsi Mbele Coca-Cola Africa’s Senior Communications Manager: Brand Experience commented, “Coca-Cola South is extremely proud to support the development of South Africa’s next rugby heroes through the sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks.  The development of heroes such as Embrose is what the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks are all about.  We at Coca-Cola have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the success of the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks and the incredible foundation they have created for schoolboy rugby in South Africa. The sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks also signify the importance of living an active healthy lifestyle through participation in sport.  Playing sport, together with a balanced diet, may play an important role in maintaining a healthy way of life.  I look forward to following the progress of Embrose and his fellow graduates of the 2015 U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week as they carve out a career for themselves in South African rugby”  

The Coca-Cola® SA Schools team will face Wales on 7 August at City Park Stadium in Cape Town, France on 11 August at Outeniqua Park in George and England on 15 August back at City Park Stadium in Cape Town.

[ENDS]

Media Contact

Shawn Belluigi

Tel: 083 675 4338

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Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Gauteng Provincial Finals kick off

Gauteng will be hosting the second Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Final at the Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto on Monday August 10.  Eight teams will be vying for the R100 000 as the provincial champions and the two teams that make it to the final match will go through to the national finals where they will compete for the R1 million first prize.

Representing the Johannesburg North region at the finals will be Thaba Jabula Secondary School of Soweto who are in the provincial playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year.

Cassius Mpati, their coach, said that the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by Sanlam and the Motsepe Foundation, is a tournament they religiously participate in.

“The level of football in this competition is extremely high and we learn something new every year and this year is no different.  I think we have a much better chance of winning the provincials as we have home ground advantage. The Nike Centre is also our training ground.  The nationals will also be played at the same venue in October and we are gunning for the R1 million,” he said.

Mpati points out that the 2013 provincials were played in Mamelodi and Clapham won; and, in 2014 they we played in Soshanguve and Holy Trinity won. That is a good sign because this year the finals are in their home town of Soweto.

But Mpati realises that it will not be easy.  “We have grown and learnt a lot over the past three years, but there is not a single level that is easy to accomplish. You need to focus on what the objective is.  Preserving energy is key to the success of the tournament as each team plays a minimum of three games in a day and in the national finals this is for three consecutive days. Last year we went to the nationals and didn’t do as well as I thought we would but it was the team’s first time there and nerves and anxiety got the better of them.”

This year’s team is made up primarily with players from the under-17 team, Mpati said. “We have lost a number of players due to them being over age and some having finished school. We have not scored as many goals this year as I had hoped, but we are working on this.”

However his team will be boosted by two players that form part of the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Academy, including Given Thibedi and Happy Mashiane. “They are new to this tournament but have adjusted very well, and have been able to use the experience that they receive at Kaizer Chiefs.’

Mpati said that the school has galvanised the parents support.  “We need a crowd on our side so I have roped in the support of parents.  This is good motivation for the players to do well. It’s going to be a public holiday, so I am predicting the community members to show up and support Thaba Jabula.”

The school has also arranged for Papi Khomane a former Thaba Jabula student who played for the SA national team and for Orlando Pirates to come to the school and motivate the team. “The team needs such talks with former soccer players who can give them words of encouragement and advise as to how each player can prepare for a match,” Mpati said.

The teams participating in the Gauteng finals are:

·        SAFA Transnet Football School-Ekurhuleni North District

·        Clapham High School-Tshwane North District

·        Soshanguve East Sec School-Tshwane West District

·        Madiba Secondary School-Gauteng West District

·        M.O.M Sebone High School-Gauteng East

·        Alexandra High School-JHB East

·        Thaba Jabula -JHB North District

·        Mohloli Secondary School -Sedibeng East District