PREPARATIONS ARE GOING WELL FOR REBONWE PRIMARY SCHOOL WHO WILL BE REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA IN THE DANONE NATIONS CUP WORLD FINALS

It seems a lifetime ago that Rebonwe coach, Emmanuel Gogela, heard there was going to be a Danone Nations Cup girls tournament this year.  Like most schools, he didn’t have many girls at under-12 level, and those he had competed together with the boys.  But this didn’t stop him and immediately recruited more girls and put a team together and entered the tournament.

Six month later and his team had not only performed well, they had won the trip of a lifetime – to compete in the world finals taking place in Barcelona between 10^th and 12^th October.

To help prepare the girls for the world stage, Danone Southern Africa enlisted the help of acclaimed development coach, SIBUSISO NTSINDE. Sibusiso holds a CAF C Licence and a Coerver Youth Diploma. He attended a Rene Meulensteen Dutch Symposium course as well as a course held by the KNVB in the Netherlands. Recently he won the Future Champs Tournament with the Bidvest Wits under-17 team.

“It’s such a pleasure to be able to assist these young aspiring soccer players,” said Ntsinde.  “It’s very different coaching girls as opposed to boys.  Firstly, girls listen better!  Secondly, they are focused and quick learners. I cannot believe the difference in their performance after 2 weeks with me.  Our first task was to teach the basics of the game as many of the girls have not been playing for long.  They also had to get used to me and the way I coach and to the different techniques and tactics.  Then followed the task of tweaking some of their positions on the field to match their strengths.”

The world finals will not be easy, admits Ntsinde.  “I have seen who their competition will be and most countries will be represented by clubs such as Napoli and Espanyol, whose players have been playing the game since they were 5 or 6 and they will be the best players at this level at their respective clubs, whereas our girls play for the love of the game.  I love every day that I spend with these girls and I enjoy seeing their enthusiasm to want to improve and learn.  I will do my best to prepare them well.  I can see they are getting the concepts, but it is not easy to cram so much so quickly.”

Spain will be a football lesson for the girls, Ntsinde believes.  “They will see teams that are at another level and using different techniques, which will give them something to aspire to.  They must not look down on themselves but rise and look where they can be.  My message to them is to go out there and represent us the best way possible. They should remember that they are the best in the country and, no matter what, they have gone out and fought a battle to get to where they are now.  I can’t wait to see them on their return.  We will evaluate what they learnt and look at where to go next and what do they want to do on the football field in the future.”    

Accompanying Rebonwe Primary in Spain will be Nomlinganiselo from the Western Cape (2018 winners) and Muzuvukile from KZN (2019 boys winners). The teams leave for Barcelona on Monday, 7^th October and will have a couple of days to acclimatise prior to the commencement of the tournament on 10^th October.  On the final day, 12^TH October, the teams will play their final match at the home ground of La Liga club, RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, commonly known as Espanyol.

Also travelling with the team will be Amanda Dlamini, ex Banyana Banyana captain.  She will be with the girls every step of the way, encouraging them, giving advice as well as celebrating and motivating them.

“Barcelona is symbolic as it was in this city in 1919 that Isaac Carasso created the first Danone yogurt with the aim of improving one’s health,” said Masi Mkhize, Communications Manager, Danone Southern Africa.  “We are combining Danone’s Centenary celebrations and the 20^th edition of the world finals in a bumper edition this year.  It also coincides with our new brand positioning and purpose, One Planet One Health, which reflects our belief that the health of humankind and that of the planet are interlinked and both need to be protected and nurtured.

“Through the Danone Nations Cup, we are contributing to bringing this vision to life by promoting the importance of exercise. Further, we are encouraging our young athletes to ‘Play Football, Change the Game’, which is a rallying message to unite children, irrespective of their backgrounds and cultures, and to encourage them to become catalysts for positive change,” concluded Mkhize.

2019 DNC WORLD FINALS
GIRLS TOURNAMENT - COMPETING TEAMS
COUNTRY	REPRESENTING TEAM
Argentina	Club Atletico River Plate
England	Easington Colliery Girls Primary School
France	Olympique Lyonnais FC
Italy	SSC Napoli FC
Japan	Chiba Chuo FC
South Africa	Rebonwe Primary School
Spain	RCD Espanyol FC
Uruguay	Nautico FC

Danone Nations Cup World Finals - Less than 100 Days to Barcelona for our U-12 Boys and Girls soccer teams

Less than 100 Days to Barcelona for our U-12 Boys and Girls soccer teams

Schools go back this week and that means training starts for the three schools preparing for the Danone Nations Cup world finals in Spain in October.

The commendable three schools, Muzuvukile Primary from KZN, Nomlinganiselo from Crossroads in the Western Cape and a girls team from Gauteng, Rebonwe Primary School are upping their game plan to make sure they are ready to take on the world’s best in Barcelona from the 10^th and 12^th October.

It’s a once in a lifetime experience where they will come head to head against 29 countries to prove to the world that South African soccer development is being invested in and we are as good as any other country at this level. Whilst it will be important to prepare technically, our players will need to prepare mentally too. Dr Kirsten van Heerden, ex South African swimming champion, now a sports psychologist in Durban, says travelling overseas for the first time can be both exciting and overwhelming for any athlete. 

“Not only do you need to cope with the pressure of international competition, but the travel experience itself is hard,” she said. “The long-haul flight, hanging around airports, eating different food, meeting different people – it can all be quite difficult to cope with; even though it is fun at the same time.”

Her advice to the coaches is to research the different countries they will be competing against; “Knowing your opponents, their strengths and weaknesses, is a key component of preparation. It’s also a great opportunity for the players to learn about a new country before experiencing it first-hand.  It’s experiential learning at it very best and one of the great things about sport, getting a chance to experience the world.”

Preparing to compete internationally is different, Dr Van Heerden believes. “Preparations are similar for any competition, but for that level of play it’s even more important. You may not win as easily as you do at home, so our children should focus on the process and not just the outcome.”

“Confidence is critical,” explained van Heerden. “It’s a key mental skill and is what helps you to perform under pressure. Of course, the kids need to believe they can win, but losing is part of sport too and losing is not failing. Focus on competing well, give of your best and don’t overemphasise winning.

“Competing for your country is always a proud moment.  For me, rather than remember any one moment, I can look back at my career in its entirety (both the happy and disappointing times) and I feel really good.” 

Coaches play a crucial role in a young athlete’s life, said Van Heerden. “A lot of time is spent with the coach, and the relationship between coach and athlete can help improve performance. The best athletes are the hardest workers, they put in the extra training time.”

Look where your competitive edge is, she advises. “You may be faster, more skillful or maybe you handle pressure well. All athletes and teams need to work out what their competitive edge is and use it.”

There is much to gain from a tour like this, Van Heerden said. “Sport teaches you much about yourself, dealing with failure, dealing with success, working in a team and much more. Travelling internationally and experiencing a new country and culture also broadens your horizons and opens your eyes. When the kids get back on home soil, I expect they will be more focused and experienced, with a lot more vision. You come back with a set of experiences and new friends that you didn’t have before. My advice to the girls and boys is to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the beautiful city of Barcelona.”

The 2018 and 2019 world finals will be held as a double header.  “Barcelona is symbolic as it was in this city in 1919 that Isaac Carasso created the first Danone yoghurt with the aim of improving one’s health,” said Marlinie Kotiah, General Secretary Director of Danone Southern Africa.  “We are combining Danone’s centenary and the 20^th edition of the world final in a bumper edition this year.  It also coincides with our new brand positioning and purpose, One Planet One Health, which reflects our belief that the health of humankind and that of the planet are interlinked and both need to be protected and nurtured.

“Through the Danone Nations Cup, we are contributing to bringing this vision to life by promoting the importance of exercise. Further, we are encouraging our young athletes to ‘Play Football, Change the Game’, which is a rallying message to unite children, irrespective of their backgrounds and cultures, and to encourage them to become catalysts for positive change,” concluded Kotiah.

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

Rebonwe girls from Gauteng and KZN’s Muzuvukile boys will be travelling to Spain to participate in the Danone Nations Cup world finals

 

South Africa will make history later this year by sending an under-12 girls soccer team to compete in the Danone Nations Cup world finals, where they will be competing against seven other nations. And the team that will represent the country will be a group of players from an informal settlement in Ivory Park, Gauteng. They earned this opportunity by winning the Danone Nations Cup girls tournament that took place at Reiger Park, Boksburg this past weekend.

They will be accompanied by the boys from Muzuvukile Primary School of Enseleni, a rural area near Richards Bay, who won the boys national finals at the same venue.

A girls tournament was introduced for the first time this year but because most schools do not have girls-only teams, it was a pilot tournament in Gauteng only, with 40 schools participating. 

There were regional finals and 8 schools went through to a provincial playoff. The teams that reached the semifinals there were then invited to compete at the national finals.

Rebonwe met Michael Mkhwanazi Primary in the final. They had played each other earlier in the day and Michael Mkhwanazi won the closely contested match 2-1.

So, Rebonwe knew that they were in for a tough game in the final and gave it everything from the beginning. This time they were better prepared and created many scoring opportunities. They were first to score, but Michael Mkhwanazi equalised within minutes.

Rebonwe had the better of the exchanges from then on and came close to scoring right at the end of the game. It ended in a draw, however, and went to a penalty shootout which Rebonwe won, to add the national title to their provincial title.

At the same time, the nine boys provincial champions competed in the playoffs for their national title. The teams were divided into 2 groups with the teams that topped the log meeting in the final.

Muzuvukile was always going to be the team to beat based on their exceptional performance in the provincial finals. They are a very strong team and three of their players have been invited to attend trials at Mamelodi Sundowns. They won all their league games to finish top of their pool and met Group B winners Patekile from the Eastern Cape in the final match. 

Muzuvukile were the only team that won all their matches leading up to the final and the final was very much like the group stages.

They made many chances to score but the Patekile goalkeeper, Alethu Mathumbu, was outstanding, saving shot after shot. Patekile tried to take advantage of the odd counter-attack but they never really threatened the Muzuvukile goal.

With a couple of minutes left in the match, just as the spectators started to think that we would have another penalty shootout, Siyanda Masinga from Muzuvukile managed to get the ball past Alethu and give Muzuvukile the lead. They had a few more chances to add to their lead but once again Alethu was there to stop them scoring and they ran out 1-0 winners.

It’s now back to school for both the boys and girls winners to put together a plan in preparation of the world finals scheduled for Barcelona starting on 10^th October.

On the final day of the world finals – 12^th October - all the games will take place at the RCDE Stadium, home ground La Liga club, RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. 

In attendance at the national finals was Amanda Dlamini, ex captain of Banyana Banyana, who was there to encourage the girls. “I was 22 when I first travelled overseas for Banyana Banyana and I remember that experience well.  It was daunting and a bit frightening, but it opened my eyes to the limitless opportunities that exist in the world.  I matured fast and I believe these young 12 year-olds will feel the same.”

The 2018 and 2019 world finals will be held as a double header.  “Barcelona is symbolic as it was in this city in 1919 that Isaac Carasso created the first Danone yogurt with the aim of improving one’s health,” said Marlinie Kotiah, General Secretary Danone Southern Africa.  “We are combining Danone’s centenary and the 20^th edition of the world final in a bumper edition this year.  It also coincides with our new brand positioning and purpose, One Planet One Health, which reflects our belief that the health of humankind and that of the planet are interlinked and both need to be protected and nurtured.

“Through the Danone Nations Cup, we are contributing to bringing this vision to life by promoting the importance of exercise. Further, we are encouraging our young athletes to ‘Play Football, Change the Game’, which is a rallying message to unite children, irrespective of their backgrounds and cultures, and to encourage them to become catalysts for positive change,” concluded Kotiah.

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

GROUP DANONE

Dedicated to bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone is a leading global food & beverage company building on health-focused and fast-growing categories in three businesses: Essential Dairy & Plant-Based Products, Waters and Specialized Nutrition. Danone aims to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices, in line with its ‘One Planet. One Health’ vision which reflects a strong belief that the health of people and that of the planet are interconnected. To bring this vision to life and create superior, sustainable, profitable value for all its stakeholders, Danone has defined its 2030 Goals: a set of nine integrated goals aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Danone commits to operating in an efficient, responsible and inclusive manner; it holds itself to the highest standards in doing business, as reflected by its ambition to become one of the first multinationals certified as B CorpTM. With more than 100,000 employees, and products sold in over 120 markets, Danone generated €24.7 billion in sales in 2018. Danone’s portfolio includes leading international brands (Actimel, Activia, Alpro, Aptamil, Danette, Danio, Danonino, evian, Nutricia, Nutrilon, Volvic, among others) as well as strong local and regional brands (including AQUA, Blédina, Bonafont, Cow & Gate, Horizon, Mizone, Oikos, Prostokvashino, Silk, Vega).

The Spanish Danone Nations Cup

There is no doubt that there is real young talent in Spain. The participating children were treated to a grand opening ceremony. After the ceremony the draw was done in RCD Espanyol training grounds. All the team’s who’d qualified for the final round were then led to visit the club’s changing rooms, where some great footballers like Messi and Xavi had changed in a derby game shortly before the tournament was held.
 
The final competition gathered 10 teams from all over Spain, and to the home crowds delight was won by the local team, RCD Espanyol Barcelona. Unfortunately the winning team were not able to meet Andrés Iniesta, who is the Spain Danone Nations Cup Ambassador, because he was busy winning the Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

The Spain Danone Nations Cup in Spain is part of a bigger project called The Danone Sports Schools Project. This project is part of a non-governmental, non-profit organisation called “Sporting Association for better childhood”, the President is Rafael Jofresa Prats, a former Basketball player for the Spanish national side.

The project started in 2004 with 4 Danone Sports Schools, each with the ambition of promoting the importance of sporting activities for kids in their spare time, in order to change the social habits of today’s youth. These initial Schools were opened in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Cáceres. In the second year of the project’s campaign, another 12 Schools were opened, bringing the total up to 16 Danone Sports Schools across all of Spain’s geographical regions.

Current and former soccer heroes soon caught onto the project and were given the opportunity to adopt a team and become their heroes, ambassadors and role models. The role models were carefully selected and they adopted teams in their own areas.

Each School is composed of at least 50 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. There are 4 age categories, and all children enjoy sporting activities, such as football, and educational sessions on nutrition and how to live a healthy lifestyle. During competitions against other regions, the kids are encouraged to share moments in and around sports with kids from other regions. A lot of emphasis is placed on having fun of course.

The program follows a double intention: first help meet the leisure time of youth sports and school support to encourage a healthy lifestyle, and at the same time help build the habits acquired in the school community.

The role models of the 16 Danone Sports Academies are: 1. Barcelona, Samuel Eto'o FC Barcelona.
2. CACERES, César Sánchez from Real Zaragoza CF player.
3. Madrid (Alcorcón), Jose Maria Gutierrez "Guti" Real Madrid and Carlos "Aguilera" former player of Atletico Madrid.
4. SEVILLE (B º of Bermejales), Jesús Capitán Prada "Capi" player of Real Betis Balompié and Antonio Ramírez Pérez "Antoñito" Jerez CF player
5. Madrid (Leganés), Gabriel Fernandez Arenas "Gabi" (Zaragoza player CF)
6. Madrid (Getafe), Esteban "Barn" (Getafe player)
7. Barcelona (Badalona), Pep Guardiola, "former international player of FC Barcelona
8. SEVILLE (Alcos), David "Rivas" CF Real Betis player.
9. LOGROÑO, Daniel "Aranzubia" player of the Athletic Club of Bilbao and the brothers García León, Gerardo, Moses, Candela and Eduardo.
10. Gijon, Enrique Castro "Quini, former international player of the Spanish team of Sporting Gijon and FC Barcelona.
11. CASTELLON, Diego Martín "Forlan, Atletico Madrid CF.
12. Murcia, Miguel Angel Ferrer "Mista" Atletico Madrid CF
13. ALBACETE, "Paul" Ibanez Atletico Madrid.
14. Estepona, Fernando "Iron", former Real Madrid player.
15. ZARAGOZA, Andoni "Cedrún" and José César "Lainez, former goalkeeper of Real Zaragoza.
16. SALAMANCA, Vicente "Del Bosque, former coach of Real Madrid.

Objectives of the Danone Sports Schools: • To promote the change of habits and attitudes, to promote social change.
• Facilitate access to quality sport outside the school community.
• Promote the acquisition of health habits and health.
• To promote the maturation and social adjustment of children.
• Encourage the development of children through physical improvement and competition.
• To promote interest in physical activity and youth associations
• Providing knowledge and expertise about the sport.
• Provide information on issues related to sport and physical activity.
• To encourage children personal responsibility in the running of the school and the acceptance of rules and commitments, building confidence in themselves.
• Encourage social relationships through group activities that promote the use of leisure time.
• Promote linkages between family and school, preventing essential bases and acquisition of healthy habits.
• Obtain appropriate relationships between children and their social environment.
• Increase the attendance rate at school and encourage enrolment in many cases nonexistent.