As entries keep coming
in for the under-12 Danone Nations Cup, the signs are pointing to it being a
bumper edition of what is already the biggest school soccer tournament in the
land.
Among the schools who
have already registered are Sekhusile Primary School of the Ehlanzeni district
in Mpumalanga, the runners-up at the 2017 national finals of the competition.
They first entered the
tournament in 2004 and last year was the first time that they had made it to
the nationals. Before then, the school would usually lose at the regional
finals.
According to Chippa
Nkalanga, the team manager, it was a huge achievement for the school to make it
to the national finals. “The Danone Nations Cup is a very competitive
tournament especially with an overseas trip as the incentive,” he said.
“We never thought we
would reach that far, and to then get into the final match was fantastic for
us. It was a close match. Both teams had good players and there
were plenty of opportunities for both sides. Unfortunately for us it was
Mophela from KwaZulu-Natal that put the ball in the net and they beat us 2 – 0
to win the trip to the USA to compete in the world finals.”
The school is busy
with preparations for this year. Only one player from last year’s team is still
there, and they have already started playing against local club teams to get
into shape.
“Our aim is obviously
to win the national finals,” Nkalanga said. “Many of the players have never
travelled out of the province and it would be a great opportunity if they could
travel overseas to see different places.”
Schools can register for the competition by contacting the
national coordinator at the SA Schools Football Association (SASFA), Themba
Tshabalala, on 011 403 2844, 084 290 0602 or 072 588 4957.
Alternatively, they can visit the Danone Nations Cup South Africa Facebook page
or go to www.facebook.com/dncsouthafrica
to download the necessary documents. (Documents are always on Danone.co.za)
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
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