KwaZulu-Natal has been one
of the most successful provinces in the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament,
since it fell under the auspices of the South African Schools Football
Association (SASFA). The province has produced three national champions who
went on to compete in the world finals (2010, 2012 and 2014).
The question is: can they
do it again this year?
According to the
professional scouts and organisers who have been at all the provincial finals this
could be the case.
Mophela Primary School
played exceptionally well in the KZN provincial finals. They are
well-organised, well-structured and have two star players: a goalkeeper who is
a stone wall, and a striker who can score from free kicks outside the box, curling
the ball like the Danone Nations Cup World Ambassador, Zinedine Zidane, used to
do during his playing days.
Mophela team manager,
Bongekile Gladness Msomi, is, however cautious. “It’s not the time to be
complacent,” she said. “In fact, the coaching staff felt that the team’s
performance at the provincial finals could have been better as a couple of our
players didn’t perform as well as expected.”
Msomi explained. “We need
to work on their psyche and get them to understand that they must not be
nervous and intimidated, but go out onto the field with confidence and just do
their best and have fun while they are doing it.”
All the best teams from the
provinces will be at the nationals, so the games at that level will be tougher,
she warns.
“Boys at this age come in
all different sizes – tall and short and they must take them all on. Winning
the pool games is key in order to qualify for the final match.”
To get the players used to
the pressure they will be facing, the school has arranged a number of warm-up
games against the local schools, playing their under-12s, and also their older
teams.
The school faces challenges
when it comes to equipment as some of the boys do not have soccer boots so they
have to share and borrow from each other. “Our principal, Mr Mtsele is
trying to raise funds for soccer boots for the boys,” Msomi said. “He is a
role model to the kids. He gets involved
with them, helps them with all their problems and motivates them.
“Since he got here there
has been a huge difference in all aspects of the school. It was him who
researched the Danone Nations Cup and entered the school as he insists that all
kids get involved in sports activities to keep them occupied and not running
around the streets after school. The school entered for the first time in 2015
and we qualified for the nationals and we have done the same this year,” said
Msomi.
Going to the nationals is
going to be very exciting for the kids, said Msomi. She explained that most of the kids had never
ventured outside their village. “Going
to see Joburg, the biggest city, is exciting.
And as for travelling to the USA, that’s something else entirely. But
let’s take it a step at a time. We want the boys to enjoy the nationals and all
the fun that goes with it.”
The provincial champion
schools that are playing in the
Eastern Cape: Isaacs Booi
Primary School
Free State: Phaphama
Intermediate School
Gauteng: Arcon Primary School
KZN: Winner: Mophela
Primary School (competed in the nationals in2015)
Limpopo: Haggai Combined
Private School
Mpumalanga: Sekhulile
Primary School
Northern
Cape: Roodepan Primary School (Competed in the nationals in 2014, 2015)
North West: Mmamitlwa
Primary School
Western Cape: Idas Valley
Primary School
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