Eastern Cape's Barkerville Junior Secondary School to now compete in the Danone Nations Cup National Finals

 

Barkerville Junior Secondary School from UMzimvudu in the Eastern Cape will be going to the Danone Nations Cup national finals in a few weeks’ time with the goal of winning the national title and having another chance to prove themselves at the competition’s world finals in France later in the year.

They get this chance after beating Ngubethole Bam Junior Secondary School  2 – 1 in the Eastern Cape provincial finals that took place last weekend.

They went to the world finals in Spain in 2011 as the national champions and for coach, Mpilo Changa, the experience he gained there has changed his approach to coaching that he believes will stand them in good stead at the nationals.

“The world finals taught me a lot, particularly in the scoring department,” he said. “The team from Germany, specifically, taught their kids to score from anywhere. In one game, one of their players received the ball on halfway, with his back to the goal. He controlled the ball, turned and stuck it in the back of the net. Those are the sorts of skills you need to succeed at that level.”

This team may not have as many talented players as the one that went to Spain, Changa said, but they are stronger physically, and they play as a team.

“They pass the ball well and I want to see them sharing the ball and show composure in front of the goals,” he said. “They can keep possession but at the same time they must pass to players in the gaps so that they have the opportunity to score.”

South African football is about dribbling and attacking opponents, Changa says. “We need to pass more and create opportunities.”

In preparation for the national finals, the coach intends organising as many friendly matches as he can. “We will be playing against local opposition in our neighbouring towns. I am going to make them physically fitter but I also want to work on the mental side of the game. I want my kids not to be afraid of the opposition. They must learn to trust and believe in themselves.”

There are two players that Changa is expecting big things of.

Bunathi Khala is a gifted left-footed player, which makes him a natural left winger. “He is good at cutting in from the wing and dribbling towards to the goal and creates goal scoring opportunities.”

Sindisa Pheyana is a striker, with a powerful boot who is very strong for his age. “In Sindisa I have a natural player who has the ability to hold possession and turn with the ball. There are few players who can do that. He needs to improve on his accuracy. There will be games where he will not have many opportunities to score, so he needs to take advantage of any chance he gets,” Changa said.

The Danone Nations Cup world finals taught the players a lot, Changa says. “We learnt about different cultures and we learnt about the importance of communication. We watched how teams like Japan managed to meet and communicate with the other teams even though they could not speak all that much English.

“We also learnt that there other ways to play football and that players from other countries are just as passionate about the game as we are.”

Having gone to the world finals in Spain will definitely give the team an advantage over the other teams in the national finals, Changa believes.

“We have seen what it takes to get there and we know how good the overseas teams are. We need to lift our game if we want to win the national finals and if we want to do better in the world finals than we did the last time around.”

Results

Game 1: Debera JSS 0 vs. Gcinubuzwe CS 3

Game 2: Ben Nyati PS 0 (0) vs. Ngubethole Bam JSS 0 (2)

Game 3: Barkerville JSS 2 vs. Maruping PS 0

Game 4:  Debera JSS 0 vs. Ben Nyati PS 3

Game 5: Gcinubuzwe CS 0 vs. Ngubethole Bam JSS 2

Game 6: Maruping PS 0 (1) vs. Guqaza JSS 0 (2)

Game 7: Ngubethole Bam JSS 1 vs. Debera JSS 0

Game 8: Ben Nyati PS 2 vs. Gcinubuzwe CS 0

Game 9: Guqaza JSS 0 vs. Barkerville JSS 1

Final Game: Ngubethole Bam JSS 1 vs.  Barkerville JSS 2

 

Danone Partner:

 

NKUNZIMBINI JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL OUTSHINE BARKERVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

The list of nine schools that will be playing in the 2012 Danone Nations Cup National Finals in Mamelodi on June 23 will be finalised this weekend when the Gauteng finals take place.

The second-last piece of the puzzle fell into place last Saturday when Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School from Ngqeleni, a remote rural settlement near Mthatha in the OR Tambo Region won the Eastern Cape Danone Nations Cup provincial final. Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School beat Caley Primary School on penalties after the sides were locked on 0-0 at the end of  regulation time.

Nkunzimbini will now be playing for the national title which carries with it a chance to represent South Africa in the World Finals in Warsaw, Poland, in September.

The team that represented the nation at last year’s World Finals, Barkerville Primary, were from the Eastern Cape Province. They were at the provincial finals again this year, but did not make it through.

This is just their second time in the Danone Nations Cup. They lost to Barkerville in last year’s provincial final. Team coach Justice Nqiwa says for him the Danone Nations Cup is not about winning but about the experience the boys are going to have. “Being there will show them that there are plenty of other opportunities out there and their circumstances should not stand in the way of who they can be,” he says.

“I want them to enjoy themselves and feel what it is like to be young and to dream of endless possibilities. Even though they might not win the tournament and go to Poland I believe that just travelling to Gauteng can open doors for some of them. This will be their first trip outside Eastern Cape for all of the players.”

Nqiwa singles out Abulele Sotshononda and Lwazi Mabokela as his key players.  “Sotshononda is a right wing who has pace and who can dribble and pass well. Mabokela is a solid defender who can make good runs from the back. He has good ball control and clears dangerous balls at the back extremely well.”

This Saturday’s winner from the Gauteng provincial finals will join Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary, Chakaza Primary School from Mpumalanga, Isinamumva Primary School from KwaZulu-Natal, Atamela Primary School from North West, Kgwahlele Primary School from Limpopo, Bochabela Primary School from Free State, Keidebees Primary School from Northern Cape and AH Barnard Primary school from Western Cape at the Danone Nations Cup national Finals in Mamelodi on June 23 to play off for the South African title.

EASTERN CAPE RESULTS

POOL A

Imbasa Primary School

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School

Backerville Primary School

Ntabelanga Primary School

POOL B

Bongweni Primary School

Caley Primary School

Maruping Primary School

Imbasa Primary School 0 vs Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School 1

Barkerville Primary School 1 vs Ntabelanga Primary School 0

Bongweni Primary School 0 (1) vs Caley Primary School 0 (3)

Imbasa Primary School 0 (7) vs Barkerville Primary School 0 (6)

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School 2 vs  Ntabelanga Primary School 1

Caley Primary School 1 vs Maruping Primary School 0

Ntabenga Primary School 1 vs Imbasa Primary School 0

Barckerville Primary School 0 (3) vs Nkuzimbini Junior Secondary School 0 (2)

Maruping Primary School 0 vs Bongweni Primary School 1

FINAL

Nkunzimbini Junior Secondary School 0 (3) vs  Caley Primary School 0 (2)

BARKERVILLE, 2011 DANONE NATIONS CUP CHAMPIONS, WIN THROUGH TO THE EP PROVINCIAL FINALS

On Saturday, June 2, at East London’s Mdantsane Sisa Dukashe Stadium, Barkerville Primary School from the remote Mount Frere district of the Eastern Cape will be travelling to East London to meet the other regional winners in the under-12 Danone Nations Cup provincial finals.

The nine provincial champions will go on to meet at the national finals in July and the winner there will be going to the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in Warsaw, Poland in September.

The Barkerville boys don’t get away much – they live in an isolated part of the country, where they have no electricity or running water, and it’s 10km to what could, with a bit of imagination, be called the nearest town.

Yet, the last time the Barkerville Primary School team played out of the district it was at the famous Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid.

Barkerville were the 2011 South African Danone Nations Cup champions. They came though the Eastern Cape playoffs and the National Finals to earn their place in the international competition in Madrid. They finished halfway down the rankings there – an admirable achievement given where they came from - but more importantly, they learned footballing and life lessons that they will never forget.

One year down the line much has changed and much has stayed the same in rural Barkerville. The school’s football field is still a dusty patch with homemade wooden goalposts, and the players still go down to a nearby stream to get a drink during water breaks in training.

But the four players from last year’s team that are still at school, and coach Mpilo Caga, have seen what the best looks like and have played where the giants of the game play, and Caga is doing his best to make some changes.

For Caga, the Madrid experience has meant the world. He says he learnt how important it is to pay attention to all aspects of the game at training - the mechanical movements, body positioning, balance and technique. “In the past training sessions were all about running and kicking the ball forward,” he says “Now we warm up properly and our practices have an aim and a structure.” Caga has a coaching qualification in cricket but not football.

Caga has formed the Barkerville Football Club and has been instrumental in setting up the Shinta Development Local Football Association League, in which the club plays. The team walks 5km to their matches and practices  at Kwa Shinta which is also a rural area but with better playing ground conditions.

Barkerville is the best-supported club in the community. “The four players who went to Spain last year have become celebrities,” Caga says, “the people come to see the beautiful football they play. The most important lesson for them has been to play in their positions as opposed to just chasing the football around the field.  They have learnt to trust their team mates and work as a team.  Further, their eating habits have also changed.  They all prepare their own food before games.”

There are still many challenges, but Barkerville’s participation at the Danone World finals in Madrid has inspired the community, and galvanised coach, Mpilo Caga into action, meeting those challenges head-on.

Schools that have qualified are:

Region	School
Alfred Ndzo	Barkerville jss
Amathole	Carly jss
Cacadu	Bhongweni sps
Chris Hani	Ntabelanga ps
Joe Gqabi	Maruping ps
N.Mandela Metro	Imbasa ps
O.R.Tambo	Nkunzimbini jss

Pictures of the Danone Nations Cup National Finals - Final Game

All photos are curtesy of Canon and World Of Sport Photographers.

Barkerville Primary School will represent SA in the Danone Nations Cup in Spain

Barkerville Primary school made history today when they won the Danone Nations Cup and will be the first team from the Eastern Cape to represent South Africa in the World Finals taking place in Madrid, Spain, from 5^th to 10^th July.  The dreams of 14 youngsters came true and the prize is competing against 39 other countries around the world.

Barkerville Primary was undoubtedly the best team on the day winning all their League games to top Group A clinching a spot in the final.  In Group B it was not such an easy ride. Kgwathele Primary from Limpopo managed to beat Sapebuso Primary from Gauteng by a mere point.

And so the final was an Eastern Cape versus Limpopo affair, but Barkerville was just too strong for the youngsters from the North and beat Kgwathele 1 – 0. The goal was scored by Qhamani Mandlevu about four minutes into the second half making this his third goal of the day.

“I am just so excited today,” said 11 year old Mandlevu.  “It was my dream to win and get to go to Spain.  I have heard that there are scouts at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals and I would really like to play well in front of them and hopefully catch the eye of one of them.  Even though I am only 11, I would like to go and play internationally from as early as possible.”

Mpilo Canga, Barkerville coach said:  “The message I instil in the boys is to always play with confidence and trust in your ability.  This will be the first time that any of these boys, including myself, will travel out the country and I am glad that the hard work that we have put into training has paid off!”

Danone Ambassador, Neil Tovey, attended the finals:  “I saw some talented individuals here today.  The youngsters that won are going to the Mecca of world football, Spain, and this will be a memory these players will cherish forever.  But there were other teams that were also good today, one being the team from KwaZulu-Natal, Ndongeni Primary.  I was really impressed with the talent as well as they way they played and for this credit must go to the coaches.”

Group Danone, one of the world’s largest producers of fresh dairy products, started the competition in 2000 with the desire to act sustainably on behalf of children’s well-being and health. Football as a universal sport is the perfect way to promote values like fair play, the pleasure of the game, team spirit, sharing -and above all- human values like openness, and respect, explains Sandra Dorville, communications manager of Danone South Africa.

“By bringing healthy food and some good healthy fun together, children learn about life through a shared experience. And to those who get to the world finals, it is an experience that will undoubtedly become a cherished memory,” says Dorville.

RESULTS:

POOL A                                                                                                 POOL B

Nozizwe (North West)                                                                   Phakamisani  (Western Cape)

Ndongeni KwaZulu-Natal)                                                            Kgwatlhele (Limpopo)

Robanyane Toto II (Northern Cape)                                        Sepebuso (Gauteng)

Barkerville (Eastern Cape)                                                            Mhlahle (Mpumalanga)

Mofulatshepe (Free State)

Noziziwe 0 v Ndongeni  2

Phakamisani 0 v Kgwathlele  1

Robanyane Toto II  0  v Barkerville 1

Sapebuso 1  v Mhlahle 0

Mofulatshepe 0 (P3)  v Nozizwe 0 (P2)

Ndongeni 0  v Barkerville  1

Kgwatlhele 1  v Mhlahle 0

Robanyane Toto II 1 (P2) v Mofulatshepe 1 (P3)

Barkerville  3  v  Nozizwe 0

Mhlahale 0 (P0)  v  Phakamisani 0 (P2)

Ndongeni 3  v Robanyane Toto II 0

Kgwatlhele 1 (P4) v Sapebuso 1 (P3)

Barkerville 3  v  Mofulatshepe 0

Nozizwe 4  v Robanyane Toto II 0

Mofulatshepe 0  Ndongeni  2

Phakamisani 1 (P4)  v Sepebuso 1 (P3)

FINAL LOGS:

POOL A                                                                                 POOL B

Barkerville (12 points)                                                    Kgwathele (6 points)

Ndongeni (9 points)                                                        Sapebuso (5 points)

Nozizwe (4 points)                                                          Phakamisane (2 points)

Mofulatshepe (2 points)                                                               Mhlahla (1 point)

Robanyane (2 Points)                                       

FINAL

BARKERVILLE                                                                     KGWATHELE

ABOUT DANONE

Danone entered the South African market in 1998 through a joint venture created with Clover SA. In January 2010 Danone acquired 100% of the Danone-Clover joint-venture and Danone Southern Africa was born. With 47% market share, Danone Southern Africa is the leader in the fresh dairy products and desserts.

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.

BARKERVILLE PRIMARY TO REPRESENT EASTERN CAPE AT THE NATIONAL FINALS

Seisa Dukashe Stadium in East London hosted the Eastern Cape leg of the Danone Nations Cup Provincial Finals, which saw Barkerville Primary School from the Alfred Nzo, beating Nkunzimbini from the O R Tambo Region, 4 – 0 to lift the trophy and become the 2011 Eastern Cape champions for the second time in three years.

The hero of the day was 10 year old attacking striker Slindile Jaane who scored a brace which helped his team emerge victorious.  Their next challenge will be the National Finals happening at the Eldoradopark Stadium in Gauteng on 9 July.  

If Bakerville win the National finals they will be the first Eastern Cape team to represent South Africa in the Danone Nations Cup World Finals which take place in Spain from 5 – 10 October.

But for many of the Bakerville youngsters just the trip to the City of Gold to play in the Nations finals is an exciting prospect and youngster, Qamane Mandlevo, who has never owned a pair of boots, is one such player.  This youngster is the team’s top goal scorer after netting 13 goals in just eight matches.

“Coach has told us that if we win in Gauteng we will travel by airplane to meet Zinedine Zidane in Spain which has made me even more determined to score more goals at the National finals,” says the 11 year old striker, Jaane.

Currently Jaane plays all his football on a pitch without grass and his dream is to become a player like his idol, Andile Jali currently with Orlando Pirates.  Jali originates from the Eastern Cape.

Bakerville  coach, Mpilo Changa has full confidence in his team and has singled out striker Slindile Jaane and team captain Sakhuxolo Ntsikilana as his key players. “We have worked really hard this season. At some point I thought we were going to be knocked out at the lowers level as most of my players are from disadvantaged backgrounds and it is not always possible for them to travel to attend games and practice sessions so our training has been inconsistent.  In fact I had to pay for transport for the kids to practice sessions, but this was never a problem as each and every player has a passion for the sport and a dream to go far.  I could not disappoint them.”

Barkerville is the seventh team to qualify for the 2011 National Finals after Nosizwe primary of the North West, Mhlahle from Mpumalanga, Robanyane primary of the Northern Cape, Mofulatshepe from Free State, Ndogeni Primary from KwaZulu – Natal and Kgwahlele from the Limpopo Province.

The overall winner in the National Championships will realize the dream of enjoying the Danone Nations Cup experience at an international final from 5 – 10 October, where they will not only compete for the world title but will have the opportunity to share with other young soccer lovers from across the globe, meet an international soccer icon Zinedine Zidane and most importantly have fun!

RESULTS – NORTH WEST PROVINCIAL FINALS

POOL - A

TEAM 1 – MZIMKHULU PRIMARY SCHOOL

TEAM 2 – ZANOXOLO PRIMARY SCHOOL

TEAM 3 – NKUNZIMBINI PRIMARY SCHOOL

TEAM 4 – CHARLES MORGAN PRIMARY SCHOOL

POOL - A

TEAM 1 – EMPUMELELWENI PRIMARY SCHOOL

TEAM 2 – BARKERVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mzimkhulu Primary   0 vs     Zanoxolo Primary 3

Nkuzimbini Primary 1  (4)   vs      Charles Morgan  Primary 1 (5)

Empumelelweni  Primary   1 (2)    vs       Bakerville Primary 1 (3)

Mzimkhulu Primary  0   vs      Nkuzimbini  Primary 3

Zanoxolo Primary   1   vs       Charles Morgan Primary 0

Barkerville Primary 3 vs Vusumzi Primary 0

Charles Morgan Primary 3 vs Mzimkhulu Primary 0

Ntunzimbini Primary 2 vs Zanoxolo Primary 0

Vusumzi Primary 1 vs Empumelelweni 3

FINAL LOG POSTION

POOL A: 1^st – Ntuzimbini Primary, 2^nd – Zanoxolo Primary, 3^rd – Charles Morgan Primary, 4^th – Mzimkhulu Primary.

POOL B: 1^st – Barkerville Primary, 2^nd – Empumelelweni Primary 3^nd - Vusumzi Primary,

FINAL

Nkunzimbini Primary 0 vs  Barkerville Primary 4

WINNER DANONE NATIONS CUP – EASTERN CAPE 2011 – Barkerville Primary School