Scouts will be out in full force at the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup national finals with KZN players hoping to be identified and follow the footsteps of Percy Tau

The future of South African football lies in the hands of youth tournaments such as the under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam.  Players are identified, placed into development programmes and nurtured.  A fine example is Percy Tau.  Mamelodi Sundowns scouts found this young rough diamond, brought him to Tshwane, placed him in Clapham High School, where he played in instrumental part in helping the school win the lucrative tournament, and now competes for both Bafana Bafana and is making waves at Belgian club, Brugge KV.

The possibility of being identified in the 2019 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup is exciting for the young players from Dr JL Dube and Mount Currie High School who will be representing KwaZulu-Natal in the National Finals taking place at the University of the Free State (Kovsies) from 23^rd to 27^th September.

Dr JL Dube won the KZN provincial finals and the R100 000 that goes with it and automatic qualification to the national finals. The school is in Kwa-Mashu and this is the second time that they have qualified for the nationals.

Coach Nhlanhla Makhwasa is a highly qualified teacher with a passion for helping children reach their potential in a safe, fun-filled environment and football is a perfect activity to do that, he believes, and this is what drove him to take up coaching.

The team is hard at work preparing for the nationals. “We need to remember that we want the boys to become the best players they can possibly be, and the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates an environment for them to succeed. We are playing friendly matches with the surroundings clubs to give them the best opportunity to excel at the national finals.

There are three players who Makhwasa believes will be key to them in Bloemfontein. They are Philani Sithebe (midfielder), Langa Mhlongo (midfielder) and Mxolisi Mthiya (striker).

Mount Currie High School, from Kokstad in the Harry Gwala District, came second at the KZN provincial finals and they will also be going to the nationals. The school has been competing since 2012, but this is the first time that they qualified for the national finals

Their coach, Mr John Motsa, started soccer at Mount Currie. Before that there was no sport at the school.  Motsa has a SAFA Introductory level coaching qualification obtained in 2008, a SAFA level one qualification completed in 2011 and CAF A certificate obtained in 2016.  A contributing factor to their success this year is preparation.  “In the past the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup was the only tournament we entered the entire year.  This year we have registered for the local league and we compete in different tournaments.  It has made a huge difference to our performance.  Learning is one of the key elements of success. The game is continuously changing and we need to accept that fact and adapt accordingly.”

The provincial finals were tough, admitted Motsa.  “We competed against some excellent teams, but this is our year and we are ready for the nationals.” The key players that they will be looking to are Benny Makhetha (central striker), Zukisani Ngubane(striker) and Motsa’s son, Sisipho Motsa , who is the goalkeeper and is also the captain.

The national finals promise to be spectacular with 18 teams competing for the ultimate prize of R1million, making the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, the competition with the biggest prize money in Africa at under-19 level.  The runners-up will take home R600 000, third place and fourth place finishers get R500 000 and R400 000 respectively.  On top of this the nine Provincial winners will each receive R100 000.  The winnings are not handed over in cash but spent on legacy projects identified by the winning schools.

PROVINCIAL FINAL WINNERS TO DATE:

PROVINCE/PF VENUE	DATE	WINNERS	REGION
Western Province Gaansbaai	03-Aug-19	WINNER:  John Ramsay High School	Bishop Lavis Cape Town
Western Province Gaansbaai	03-Aug-19	RUNNER-UP:  Beauford West Secondary School	Beaufort West Great Karoo Region
Eastern Cape Queenstown	10-Aug-19	WINNER:  Maria Louw Senior Secondary School (Queenstown)	Queenstown Enoch Mgijima Municipality
Eastern Cape Queenstown	10-Aug-19	RUNNER-UP:   Jojo Senior Secondary	Mount Ayliff Alfred Nzo Municipality
Northern Cape Upington	17-Aug	WINNER:  Okiep HS	Okiep Springbok Municipality
Northern Cape Upington	17-Aug	RUNNER-Up:  Blinkklip HS	Posmasburg ZF Mgcawu Municipality
Limpopo Polokwane	24-Aug-19	WINNER:  Tshikota High School	Tshikota (Louis Trichardt) Vhembe Municipality
Limpopo Polokwane	24-Aug-19	RUNNER-UP: Ditlalemeso Secondary School	Mankweng (Turfloop) Capricorn District
Gauteng Nigel	31-Aug-19	WINNER:  Rosina Sedibane	Laudium, Centurion Tshwane
Gauteng Nigel	31-Aug-19	RUNNER-UP:  Clapham HS	Queenswood, Pretoria Tshwane
KZN DURBAN	7-Sept-19	WINNER:  Dr JL Dube High School	KwaMashu Emlanjeni Durban
KZN DURBAN	7-Sept-19	RUNNER-UP:  Mount Currie Senior Secondary School	Kokstad Harry Gwala District
MPUMALANGA Ermelo	14-Sept-19	WINNER:  Khula Senior Secondary School	Standerton Gert Sibande
MPUMALANGA Ermelo	14-Sept-19	RUNNER-UP:  Siphokuhle Secondary School	Piet Retief Pixley

Muzuvukile Primary School from Richards Bay win the Danone Nations Cup KZN Finals and three of their boys have signed up with Mamelodi Sundowns

It’s been a very successful weekend for Muzuvukile Primary School of rural Nseleni Township outside Richards Bay.  The school’s under-12 soccer team won the Danone Nations Cup KwaZulu-Natal provincial final for the second successive year and three of the boys who were competing on the day were immediately signed up by Mamelodi Sundowns and join the club’s Youth Academy and attend high school in Gauteng in 2020.

The Danone Nations Cup KZN provincial finals took place at the Sugar Ray Xulu stadium in Pinetown on the weekend, with 13 schools competing.  Teams in four pools played a round robin, with the winners progressing to the semi-finals. It ended with Muzuvukile meeting Georgedale Full Service School from Hammarsdale in the final match.

The final saw a fine display of soccer with both teams rising to the challenge and showing a strong will to win. Credit must go to the Georgedale’s goalkeeper who saved more than 12 shots at goal to keep the score down.  Muzuvukile played an attractive attacking brand of football.  Their passing was short and accurate and the team worked well together.

Although they dominated territory and possession throughout, it was Georgedale who took the lead when Surprise Mnguni scored against the run of play. It was short-lived because within seconds of the restart Muzuvukile talisman, Khethokuhle Nkosi, equalised and from there on there was shot after shot from the Muzuvukile strikers with Georgedale trying to take advantage of the odd counter attack.

In the end Muzuvukile were too good for their Pinetown opponents and Mvelase Siphokophelo scored a second goal for them, making the final score was 2-1, putting them into the national finals again.

An exuberant team manager, Tami Shezi said they will devise a training schedule for the build-up to the national finals based on what they learnt last year.  “We have been there before and we noted that the boys were overwhelmed by the big occasion.  They had never played before such a large crowd and they made a lot of silly mistakes.  We only have one boy from last year back in the team and we will make sure the team is well prepared psychologically.  Rather than get nervous they must go onto the field to have fun and treat every game as a new learning experience. That will help them become better players.”

Muzuvukile has been competing in the tournament for the past 12 years.  “Last year the school brought in an external coach, Jimmy Mkhoba and he has proved to be the catalyst for change. He has such a passion for the game that he trains the kids after school as well. 

“This is an impressionable age and rather than allow the youth to get caught up with bad influences, we need to keep them active on the soccer field,” he said. “So Jimmy coaches in the afternoons as well.  Every player in the team attends extra training and that has resulted in us having an advantage.”    

Neither Shezi nor Mkhoba have formal coaching qualifications, but both have played the game and are avid soccer followers. They believe experience plays a major part in their success. “We have an excellent team this year and we were very excited when the Mamelodi Sundowns scout, Mandla Mazibuko, approached us to offer three of our boys the opportunity to join their academy next year,” Shezi said.  “This is an opportunity that will change their lives for ever. We will follow their progress and it will be rewarding to one day be able to say that we played a part in their success.”

The team will join the other eight provincial champions in Gauteng on 15^th June to compete in the national finals where the school that will represent South Africa at the world finals will emerge.  To celebrate Danone’s centenary and the 20^th edition of the Danone Nations Cup both the 2018 and 2019 champions will travel together to Spain.

There will be 20 teams competing in the world finals and they will all play their final match of the tournament at the RCDE Stadium (home of La Liga club, Espanyol) in Barcelona, on 12^th October. 

RESULTS:

POOL A

Vulindlela Primary School, Bhekuzulu Primary School, Delihlazo Primary School, Siyathuthuka Primary School

POOL B

Lyndhurst Primary School, Georgedale Full Service School, Weenen Combined School

POOL C

Adams Primary School, Sidunge Primary School, Engwaqa Primary School

POOL D

Maqumbi Primary School, Muzuvukile Primary School, Mandleni Combined Primary School

RESULTS:

Vulindlela 1 vs 0 Bhekuzulu

Lyndhurst 0 vs 5 Georgedale

Adams 0 vs 1 Sidunge

Maqumbi 0 vs 4 Muzuvukile

Delihlazo 0 (2) vs 0 (1) Siyathuthuka

Georgedale 2 (2) vs 2 (1) Weenen

Sidunge 1 vs 0 Engwaqa

Muzuvukile 4 vs 1 Mandleni

Vulindlela 0 vs 1 Delihlazo

Bhekuzulu 4 vs 2 Siyathuthuka

Weenen 1 (4) vs 1 (3) Lyndhurst

Engwaqa 0 (2) vs 1 )0) Vulindlela

Bhekuzulu 2 (3) vs 2 (4) Delihlazo

Semifinal 1:  Dilihlazo 0 vs 2 Muzuvukile

Semifinal 2:  Georgedale Full Service School 2 vs 1 Sidunge Primary School

Final: Muzuvukile 2 vs 1 Georgedale Full Service School

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).

Player that competed in the 2000 Danone Nations Cup world finals to help school from Limpopo

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Danone Nations Cup and what better way to celebrate this milestone than by bringing in a player who competed in the first world final that took place in Parc des Princes stadium, Paris, France in 2000?

Ausborn Famu was 12 years old in 2000 and he played in the competition’s Limpopo Provincial Finals. To his delight he was selected, together with fellow Limpopo youngster, George Maluleke (currently playing midfield at Kaizer Chiefs) for the National team that went on to compete in the Danone World Finals against seven other countries.

His performance in the tournament earned him a scholarship to attend the School of Excellence where he completed grades 8 to 12 (2001-2005).  

In 2006 he went to Port Elizabeth and joined Bay United, and in 2008 he played for Mpumalanga Black Aces. Education then became his focus and he studied IT support through Unisa which he completed in 2013. 

Recently Famu, an ardent Mamelodi Sundowns fan,  decided to move back to Polokwane and open an NPO focusing on sports development. The project is in its infancy and in the process of building and while this happens he will also be joining his childhood friend, Phatundi Maila to prepare the under-12 team from Kawene Higher Primary School that will be competing in the Danone Nations Cup for the first time.

Kawene Higher Primary is based in My Darling township, just outside Polokwane. Maila was appointed the under-12 head coach at the school this year and his first task was to register for the prestigious Danone Nations Cup and to hold trials to select the best team for the tournament. He understands that it’s a highly competitive tournament, featuring the finest schools in South Africa, but he believes that with the help of his friend, Famu, they will do well in their first year.

“Competing in France at the age of 12 years old was a dream come true,” said Famu.  “I learnt a lot from the experience. George and I were the only two players from Limpopo selected and playing with youngsters from all the different provinces was inspiring.  We learnt different skills, playing formations, discipline, how to make friends and, most importantly, the power of team spirit and sportsmanship. That trip changed my life and I can say with confidence that I am a better person for going.”

Famu doesn’t remember a lot about the teams they competed against.  “There were only eight countries that participated that year. The games that I particularly remember is playing against Italy and Romania. We didn’t reach the final, we were knocked out on penalties in the final positioning games.”

Maila is excited to have his childhood friend back to assist in preparations for the Danone Nations Cup.  “I was a good player in my day. I was not selected to go to France and compete in the world finals, but I did attend the provincial finals and I know the tournament well as I have followed it over the years.

“I always knew that once I had completed my Bachelor or Education, which I achieved in 2013, and joined a school, I would enroll that school in the tournament,” said Maila who teaches home language (Sepedi), Life Skills, Economic, Management Sciences and Social Science to grades 4 to 7.

“I believe passion is the key to a successful coach,” said Maila.  “You also need experience on the field. You cannot teach players something you don’t know about. Coaching is not just about instructing players, but also about building and maintaining relationships, inspiring your team and teaching the importance of health and fitness. Your heart must be in helping the youth and I believe I am the best for the job, with the help of my friend, Ausborn Famu. We know that there are excellent schools in the province such as Benny’s Sports, but we are up for the challenge.”

“It’s a privilege for Danone to be involved in this prestigious tournament,” said Chantel Ehlers, Internal Communications Manager, Danone Southern Africa. “South Africa is one of very few countries that has been competing in the tournament every year since its inception in 2000. The tournament has inspired millions of youngsters around the world to believe in their dreams and develop healthy eating habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.

This year coincides with our centenary year and we have decided to host a spectacular double final in the place where Danone first began – Barcelona. We are using this milestone and the power of football to make a strong connection to our ‘One Planet. One Health’ brand platform.”

The tournament is run under the auspices of the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA) who collate registration forms, finalise dates and fixtures and manage the games at cluster, regional, provincial and national level. 

Games will kick-off at cluster level in March culminating in the national final to be held, at a venue to be decided, in June or July. The World Finals are expected to take place in early October (dates to be confirmed).

“Health and nutrition are at the heart of Danone and we have made it our mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible. To positively impact on the health of our people, we acknowledge that exercise is as important as eating well and so we have invested in soccer, the biggest sport in the country, to assist us in achieving our goals,” concluded Ehlers.

Schools can register for the competition by contacting the national coordinator at the SA Schools Football Association (SASFA), Themba Tshabalala, thembatshabalala@saschoolsfa.co.za or 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. The documents are also available on www.danone.co.za.

Northern Cape school gets support from a local farmer in their preparations for the Danone Nations Cup National Finals

Preparations for the national finals of the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament are well underway.  The nine provincial champions are getting in those last practise sessions before they all head to Soweto’s Dobsonville Stadium on the 15th of September.

The winner there will represent South Africa in the Danone Nations Cup world finals in Barcelona, Spain in 2019.

Lutzburg International School will represent the Northern Cape at the nationals and, thanks to the enormous support from local farmer, Aubrey Laubscher, the team is fit and ready for the nationals. 

Aubrey might be a farmer, but he is a sportsman at heart, said school manager, Charles Basson.  “He comes to the school every day and helps with the warm up and coaching.  He has also secured sponsorships for kit and equipment.  He has been very supportive and has done so much to ensure we are ready for the national finals.” 

Basson explains further that most of the players live in poor communities and often are confronted with challenging situations which affects their play. “As soccer is a team sport, if someone is not pulling his weight it affects everyone.  Here again Aubrey helps by counselling the boys and helps them to re-focus.”

Lutzburg is a small school based amongst the farmlands of Kakamas.  “It is very exciting to be going to the national finals after numerous attempts,” said Basson, a social and natural science teacher at the school. “We are a small school so our pool of players to select from is limited, which is not the case in most of the other provinces, but we are ready and fit and will do our best in Gauteng.  We will be going all out to be the first Northern Cape school to represent South Africa at the world finals, but I don’t want to put pressure on the boys and I am encouraging them to have fun and just enjoy the moment.  I tell them to have confidence in themselves and play their best in every game, not matter how the other teams play.”

Basson doesn’t have any coaching qualifications but is passionate about soccer and was a good player.  “I went for trials at Mamelodi Sundowns when I was at high school in the early 90’s but was unsuccessful.  I then went to AmaZulu where Clive Barker was the coach but broke my knee during a practice game.  After being out of action for a while I decided to study teaching instead of pursuing a career in soccer.” 

A player cannot excel without good nutrition, explained Basson, and here again the farmer has come to the schools’ assistance.  “Aubrey comes to training armed with food hampers to ensure the player’s nutritional needs are met. The school does have a feeding scheme, but the hampers are extra as sportsmen need that additional nutrition to ensure their energy and stamina are kept at optimal level.  This will be important in Gauteng due to the number of games we will be playing on the day.”

The schools that have qualified for the Danone Nations Cup national finals include:

NORTHERN CAPE    Lutzburg Intermediate School
FREE STATE    Tshediso Xolani Primary School
LIMPOPO    Benny's Sports Academy & Development
MPUMANLANGA    Shapeve Primary School
NORTH WEST    Laerskool Rustenburg Noord
KZN     Muzuvukile Primary School
EASTERN CAPE     Charles Morgan Primary School
WESTERN CAPE     Nomlinganiselo Primary School
GAUTENG     Zamukhanya Primary School