First timers participate in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Eastern Cape provincial finals

The Eastern Cape Provincial Finals in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, take place at Walmer High School in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 15th August.

In the finals this year, despite the fact that this is the first time they have participated in the competition are Tsholomqa High School of East London.

Their coach, Lilixa Ntebe, said they became aware of the tournament two years ago by a SASFA representative in their area. “This year we decided to research and get as much information as we could about the tournament and to register,” Ntebe said. “We think that this tournament is a good way to introduce the boys to high level soccer. It’s a great initiative to prepare the boys in becoming professional soccer players.”

The team played five games on their way to the final, winning four and drawing one. “We thought we would play a whole lot more matches, but I guess not a lot of schools from our area registered,” Ntebe said. “But it has been an interesting journey for the team. I think that the real competition will begin at the provincials.”

The coach says they have no idea how intense the competition will be, so they are not looking for great results from the team. “We just want them to learn as much as they can this year and get a better understanding of the tournament so that we can prepare better for next year,” he said.

The team has been playing in the local league, so they do they have some experience, Ntebe explains, and they are excited and anxious about the games, considering the fact that they have never played at this level before.

Ntebe has no coaching qualification and relies on his experience as a player to help him. “I have been passionate about soccer since a young age.  I am part of the school governing body and offered my services as a coach so I have been here since 2013,” said Ntebe.  “I have been working with the team since they were 17 so we have been together for a long time and they have a good understanding of each other and they understand how I operate.  At the end of the day, we both have the same objective which is to see the team succeed, so we have to work together to ensure that happens.”

Training is challenging he explains.  “Some of the players live far away from the school so we can only allocate one hour for training two times a week because they have to travel quiet a distance to their respective homes. But we make do with that and do as much training as we possibly can in that one hour.”

The schools participating are:

·        Walmer High School - Nelson Mandela Bay District

·        T.E.M Mrwetyana Sec School - Cacadu District

·        St James High School - Chris Hani District

·        Malcomess High School - Joe Gqabi District

·        Pangalele SSS - OR Tambo District

·        Toleni SSS - Alfred Nzo District

·        Tsholomqa High School - Amathole District 

Registration for the 2015 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup has closed and the 2015 Free State Champions are preparing for their first games.

Registration for the 2015 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup has closed and 2014 Free State champions, and the most successful school in the tournament over the past five years, Harmony High School of Virginia, are hard at work preparing for their opening cluster level matches, and determined to represent the province at the national finals once again this year.

Harmony coach, Pitso Mokoena, has been with the school since 2008 and has guided them to two national titles – in 2008 and 2011. He sees that 2008 victory as his greatest achievement. He didn’t have a lot of time to prepare that year and injuries meant that they played in the national finals with just 12 players in the squad.

“Winning the 2011 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup was easier” he said. “I think that the 2011 team was the best team I have coached. They were talented and they made my job very easy.”

This year Harmony will play with a completely new team.  The entire under-17 team that won a key knockout tournament in 2014 and also participated in the SAB Regional League has been promoted and they will join seven of last year’s under-19 players.

“All are currently training together, but we will select the best players for the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup and it does not necessarily have to include last year’s players,” he said.

“We also compete in open tournaments and leagues to give the players experience with teams other than schools as they grow and learn this way.”

In the cluster phase of the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, the team will be playing against local schools, but Mokoena said they will not underestimate them. “Every year teams grow, they have new talented players and there’s no guarantee that Harmony will win every year.

“But we try to be optimistic,” he said.  “We have always represented Free State in this tournament and we know that other schools in Free Sate are gunning for the title and are working hard to make sure that they get that title, we don’t take competition lightly. Local rivals HTS Louis Botha are a very strong team and they are the team that could well give us a challenge. In 2013 they took the provincial title away from us for the first time and they will be a threat again this year.”

Mokoena’s coaching philosophy is based on hard work and a good relationship with his players. “Soccer is an ever-evolving sport and as a coach you need to develop your skills by attending coaching clinics, getting more qualifications and equipping yourself with what’s current,” he says.

“You also have to be a father figure to the players. You need to build and maintain relationships with all your players. You need to be open to being a father/mentor to them, so that they can be open to you in return.”

For Mokoena the biggest challenge is having to deal with the players’ attitudes. “You sometimes have players that think that they are the best thing that has happened to the team; they tend to be egotistical. As a coach you need to be able to bring down those egos. I try to make it a team problem which needs to be resolved as a team.”

As for his own future, Mokoena believes the nexst step is coaching PSL teams. “I look up to the likes of Rulani Mokoena (former coach of Mamelodi Sundowns Academy), he started with the junior team and he is now the assistant coach for Mamelodi Sundowns first team. That’s my next step, I want to start with a developing team in the PSL and take it to greater heights. I give myself plus minus 3 years to reach that level.”

Before then, there are those cluster games, beginning on 18 April with their first opponent being Marematlou Secondary School.

“I believe that giving praise to a player or a team inspires them to be better next time; I always congratulate a player if they played a good game. In that way I build their self-esteem and empower them to do better next time, that’s how I inspire my players for the challenges that lie ahead,” Mokoena concluded.

Vodacom powers up subscribers to be South Africa’s next millionaire

This summer Vodacom is bringing the power to its subscribers as one lucky South African stand the chance to be a millionaire as Vodacom will be handing over one million Rand to one lucky subscriber at the legendary Soweto Derby.

This will be the first millionaire drawn from the Vodacom 20x More Summer campaign and is one of the many prizes available to subscribers over the duration of the campaign.

In celebrating 20 years of empowering South Africans, Vodacom are giving customers the best Summer in 20 years.  As part of the 20x More Summer campaign the telecoms giant will be giving customers 400 million gifts in the form of airtime, data, fashion and food vouchers, amongst a number of other prizes and experiences.

 “This is just one of the ways in which we as Vodacom are rewarding our customers for their loyalty. This is a particularly significant year for South Africa and we as Vodacom want to celebrate the journey that we have travelled with South Africans over the past 20 years,” said Bronson Mokabela, Executive Head: Sponsorship and Regional Marketing.

The closing date for all entries for a chance to become the country’s latest millionaire will be at midnight on 27 November with the first winner being announced at the biggest sporting event on the South African sporting calendar, the Soweto Derby taking place on 6 December.

To stand a chance to be South Africa’s next millionaire, simply recharge for R12 or more or buy a Summer bundle - and you will automatically be entered into the competition.

Sebetwane Secondary School retain North West Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial title

Sebetwane Secondary School of Vryburg successfully defended their North West provincial title in the U-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup soccer tournament when they finished top of the log in a four school playoff on Saturday at the Monakato Sports Stadium.

Sebetwane won all their games, with Matlaisane finishing in second place. Both schools now go through to the national finals of the competition at the Giant Stadium, Soshanguve, Tswane from 5^th to the 9^th October.

The Sebetwane coach, Ike Lebatle, said he was a bit surprised that they qualified again because this is a new team and the school is in a building phase. “Many of last year’s players have completed Grade 12 and no longer at the school,” he explained. “In schools football, unlike the PSL, teams change every year and although you might have played the same schools over and over, a new squad can make a marked difference and suddenly you are faced with a school that is exceptionally good this year but was average last year.”

Sebetwane’s first game, against Reabona, was their most difficult. The team had not settled down and didn’t play well, but still managed to win 1-0.

“JM Legetla was also a difficult opponent,” Lebatle said. “We had been warned before we got here that the team was good as they beat seasoned participants in this tournament, Sol Plaatjie, to get into the provincial finals. They are experienced and technically and tactically good. They gave us a run for our money, but there again we managed to get the ball into the net to beat them 1-0.”

Lebatle is reluctant to single out any individual player in his team – they all played well as a cohesive unit. “I am extremely happy that we have once again won money for the school,” he said. “We brought along our supporters who cheered us on and that was really motivating to the boys”

Now it’s time to focus on the national finals and Lebatle knows that they will be up against academy teams there. “I am going to beef up my technical team by bringing in Dutch experienced coach, Klaas-Jan Topp.  He has all the international coaching qualifications and lives in Vryheid, right next door to our village.”

How the R100 000 in legacy funding that the school received will be spent is to be decided by the School Governing Body, but Lebatle hopes it will be put to good use in the sport department. “We don’t have our own field and our equipment is very poor,” he said. “The boys don’t have decent soccer boots, as most of their parents cannot afford them. The education department has assisted on the educational side with computers and laptops for the school, but we get no help from them on the sport side.”

RESULTS:

Sebetwane 2 vs Reabona  0

Goals:  Itumeleng Mosikare, Tebogo Serima

Matlaisane 0 vs JM Lekgetha 0

Reabone 0  vs Matlaisane 4

Goals:  Lebogang Monama, Chally Matlou (2), Olifile Malesa

JM Lekgetha 0  vs Sebetwane 1

Goal:  Tebogo Serima

Matlaisane 1 vs Sebetwane 2

Goals:  Mat: Archibald Modiba

                Seb:  Zinzile Kamanyane (2)

Reabona 1 vs JM Lekgetha 0

Goal:  Petrus Mothobi

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·           The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

  Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·           The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·           The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·           The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Western Cape School qualifies for the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial final for the first time.

For Qhayiya Secondary School from the Overberg District, Saturday’s (6 September) Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Western Cape provincial final is an opportunity to raise their level of participation in the competition and, hopefully qualify for the national finals for the first time. The six regional finals will battle it out for the R100 000 prize money at the Blue Downs stadium, Cape Town with games kicking-off at 9am.

Nkosinathi Joja the school’s sport coordinator and coach of the team, explained that they have been in the provincial finals every year since 2011, but progressing further than that has been a challenge. “I’m hoping the experience we have playing at this level is going to help us, and we are working very hard to make sure this is our year,” he said.

The coach has put a lot of emphasis on defence in their preparations. “I think that our 2013 failure was due to our defence not being tight enough,” he said. “That’s why this year my main focus has been tightening up our back line and making sure that our defenders are focused.”

In the run-up to the provincial finals, Joja believes, the win over Umyeza Secondary School was crucial. “We had lost to them earlier, but showed in the second round that we don’t go down without a fight. The current team is committed, they truly want to win this tournament for the school and they are willing to put in the extra time to make sure that they do so.”

Having to share the community soccer field to train has been a major challenge to the team.  “We sometimes have to wait our turn to train, but we try our best to make sure that we get in extra training on weekends,” Joja said.

Joja has a level 1 coaching qualification and a certificate in administration. “Getting a qualification has had a huge impact into how I coach, how I set up a team and how I strategise for an important game,” he said. “It’s about going back to the basics to groom a player or a team.”

He is not afraid to ask for help and has brought in some ex-players to assist with the team’s preparations. One in particular, Masixole Nqoshane has been of great help.

“He is a talented mid-fielder who has played for the Western Cape under-21 team,” Joja explains. He has given the players advice on what it’s like to play at a higher level. It helps bringing in someone who is closer to the age of the players, and who used to play for the school, they respect him and what he has to share with them.”

Every year the competition keeps getting tougher and tougher, Moja said and he realises the importance of creating chances and converting them into goals. “Winning our first game at the provincial finals is crucial because it will pave the way for the games that follow. Our strikers have been doing great in the games that we have played leading up to the provincials and I know that they will continue the momentum.”

Moja is wary of last year’s winner, Mondale, who has also qualified for the provincial finals. “They will be coming back to defend their title and will be fighting hard to make sure that they retain it. But we are prepared to fight for what we want and I have faith that my team will win the provincials this year,” he said.

In 2012 the school introduced the Qhayiya School Sports Awards, recognising and acknowledging students that participate in the various sporting codes. Two of this year’s team, midfielder Zuko Jozi – their 2013 footballer of the year – and striker Babalo Mqwayi have received awards in the past. “This inspires other students to participate and be dedicated in their respective sporting codes,” Joja concluded.

Participating Teams - Venue: Blue Downs Stadium, Saturday 6^th September

·         Qhayiya Secondary School-Overberg District

·         Thembalethu High-Eden District

·         Beaufort West Secondary School-Central Karoo District

·         Mondale High School n- Cape Town District

·         TBC-Wine lands District

·         Louwville High School -West Coast District

Harmony High School Do It Again

Harmony High School of Virginia continued their remarkable record of success in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition by winning the Free State provincial title in Bloemfontein last weekend after beating Tlokola Secondary School 1 – 0 in the final. 

The school is the most successful in the history of the competition, already winning am impressive R2.6 million, and this win means they get an additional R100 000 - and a chance to add to the impressive amount at the national finals. 

The school has used a large portion of the past winnings to purchase a fleet of busses to transport its learners and, according to coach Hector Mokhali, they will use the R100 000 as Free State champions to purchase more vehicles to help ease the transport problems the school faces due to its growing numbers.

The school missed out on winning the provincials in 2013 as they had brought in a young team in preparation for this year.  “We did not expect to win last year as our team was young and inexperienced, but this year is a completely different story,” he said.

“We have worked very hard at training. We have a very dedicated team and a coach, Pisto Mokoena, who strives for success. This year we reached the provincial finals only conceding 2 goals; one during the cluster level games and the other during the provincial finals; that certainly shows that our defence is a force to be reckoned with. We have not lost a single game this year in this tournament, and we have played 8 games leading up to the provincials”

Mokhali didn't think the standard at the provincial finals was as high as it was last year. “This year four of the six schools were competing in the provincials for the first time which was a huge advantage for us veterans of this tournament.”

Preparations for the national finals have now begun and the plan is to focus on one game at a time. “We will be playing against competitive schools that want to win the national title too.” Mokhali believes Gauteng’s  Holy Trinity High School, the Supersport Academy’s school will be their toughest competition. “But we have more experience than them so hopefully that will count for us,” he said.

Results

Stream A                                                                                            

Tlokola Secondary 1 RT Mokgopa 1

RT Mokgopa 2 vs Relebohile Sibulele Secondary 0

Tlokola Secondary 3  Relebohile Sibulele Secondary 0  

                                                                                   

Stream B

Thabang Secondary School 0 Metsimaphodi High 0

Metsimaphodi High 0 Harmony High School 2

Thabang Secondary School 1  vs Harmony High School 3

Final

Tlokola Secondary School 0 Harmony High School 1

Gauteng Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup games begin at cluster level

The under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe School Cup soccer competition is well under way, with the first of the district level playoffs due to start soon.  This year the Department of Education has come on board which has boosted the registration numbers to record levels. And with R3.4 million on offer in prize money, the competition is heating up as schools strive to win a slice of the pie to use to enhance their school to benefit, not only the learners, but the community at large.

Games are currently being played at cluster level, progressing through to the district and regional levels with the provincial finals kicking off in August.

Among the schools busy with cluster matches at the moment is Lesedi Secondary School of the Gauteng North, Cullinan Cluster.

Their coach, Vincent Mashego is a former sports journalist who has returned to teaching because he wants to make a difference in the lives of his students. “I went back to teaching because it’s my passion and seeing my students succeed is rewarding for me.  I want to nurture these young boys, I teach them soccer and career skills and mentor them because I have been involved in sports, particularly in soccer, and I have seen how many young players destroy their careers,” he said.

The challenge in coaching young players, Mashego said, is that they don’t know the basics of the game. “My challenge in coming back to teaching soccer is that I assumed that the players are in the first team so they would know everything. But to my surprise most players don’t know the basics of soccer. So, every year we start with the basics. I don’t want to end up teaching them basics when we are in the middle of a tournament.”

It’s early days in the competition – Lesedi has only played 2 games so far – but Mashego is determined to go far with this team. “We have never moved further than the cluster games in this tournament before, but this team is fired up and ready to make an impact on this tournament this year.”

The team is made up of a mix of new and old players and Mashego believes the new players will rise to the occasion and reach the expected level in the tournament. “This year we want to reach the provincial final. We are not in a hurry to win this tournament yet, we are still developing the team and familiarising ourselves with the competition and gaining the experience.  The boys must just focus on training and developing their mental attitudes and individual games.”

The coach understands that academy sides are starting to dominate the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup. “The academies have qualified coaches, and top of the range exercise equipment but that does not determine how great a player can be on the field.  Ordinary schools have the same chance of winning this tournament as the academies do. They must just be well prepared, determined and willing to go the extra mile in training.”

Sundowns Academy, Clapham High School, win R1 million as 2013 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Champions

Gauteng’s Clapham High School took the R1 million first prize after winning the 2013 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.  They beat Louis Botha Technical High School 2 – 0 in the final.  To hand out the trophy was Mr Patrice Motsepe, owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, the club that most of the players belong to.

“I am so happy,” said leading goal scorer, Khayelihle Shozi, who finished on 7 goals. “To play before my president and all the scouts that put me where I am today was an honour.  I wanted to show them that the decision to bring me into the Sundowns Academy was the right one.”

Clapham finished the tournament winning every game they played scoring an impressive 27 goals in 8 games averaging over 3 a game. 

Louis Botha might have finished in second place but they were very pleased with this and the R600 000 that went with it.  Coach, Prince Sani believes that it is not about winning but the experience.  “This is our first time in this tournament and to get this far is fantastic.  Further, I only formed the team this year so they are new and we will keep working and will definitely be back next year.  This is such a good experience for the boys.”

Sani believed that playing in the final against a team that is so tactical and technical  astute only helped his boys see what true professional football is all about.  “We have all loved our trip to Durban and will most definitely go back home wiser footballers.”

Meanwhile Rosina Sedibane Modiba beat Harmony High school 2 – 1 to clinch third place. “We travelled to Durban with Clapham, who beat us to win the provincial finals, and have built a really good relationship with them.  We were hoping to meet them in the final, but finishing third is also good.  The R500 000 will come in handy to further improve the school.

Results:

THIRD/FOURTH PLAY-OFF

Harmony 0  vs Rosina 2

Goals: Sifiso Nkosi, Kabelo Seriba

FINAL

Clapham 2 vs Louis Botha 1

CHS:  Avela Cezu, Montoro Monyai

FINAL LOG POSITIONS

1.             Clapham

2.             Louis Botha

3.             Rosina

4.             Harmony

5.             Mondale

6.             Okiep

7.             Benny’s Sports Academy

8.             Cloetesville

9.             Eric Nxumalo

10.          Freedom Park

11.          Rietvale

12.          Executive Academy

13.          FK Tjiane

14.          Ndamase

15.          Sebetwane

16.          Sibongumusa

17.          Welabasha

18.          East High

Clapham, assisted by Sundowns and the Sono Family, make waves at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup National finals

The school that has made the biggest impression on the first day of the U-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools cup, happening at the King Zwelithini Stadium, Umlazi, Durban, is Clapham College from Pretoria.  The school, that educates the youngsters from the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Academy, won their first game against FK Tijiane from Limpopo 9 – 1, then 6 - 0 against Rietvale from the Northern Cape ending the day with a 1 – 0 win against Freedom Park to top Group B.

Besides the support of Mamelodi Sundowns, the team is coached by Rhulani Mokwena,  an ex professional footballer who played for his uncle, Jomo Sono.   “My father, Julia KK Sono, was a renowned footballer for Orlando Pirates and Jomo Cosmos and between him and Jomo they have played a major role in the way I approach the game,  which I am now passing on to these youngsters.”

He admits that the success on the first day does not mean they have won the tournament.  “I am pleased with the team’s performance, but we need to improve in every game and in this way we will continue to get results. There was no easy game today and by the third game we were tired.  The boys will rest and go back into action tomorrow, playing every game as a final.”

On the same points as Clapham in Group B is Harmony from Virginia in the Free State.  Clapham topped the group on goal difference, 16 as opposed to 12.

Cloetesville from the Western Cape were leading Group A but lost to Rosina Sedibane from Gauteng to place them second. 

Group C sees East High from Mpumalanga ahead with Benny’s Sports Academy in second place, despite their 9 – 0 win over Ndamase from the Eastern Cape.

The final league games will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, with the final play-offs on Thursday culminating with the third/fourth play-off at 10am on Friday followed by performances by Naima Kay, Professor and Big Nuz and then the final game.

RESULTS:  DAY 1 (24 September 2013)

1.            Welabasha 0   vs  Cloetesville 1

                Goal:  Regan Rhode

2.            Sibongumusa 0 vs Executive Academy 1

                Goal:  Sive Klaushe

3.            Rosina Sedibane   1 v Mondale 0

                Goal:  Thabo Mile

4.            Rietvale  0 vs Harmony 3

                Goals:  Tsheo Mogorosi (2), Reginald Tsoela

5.            Freedom Park 0 vs Sebetwane 0

6.            FK Tijiane 1 vs Clapham 9

                Goal:  FK:  Dumisane Shongwe (captain)

7.            Louis Botha 2 vs   Okiep 0

                Goals:  Charlie Hlalele (2)

8.            Eric Nxumalo 1 vs East High 2

                Goals:  EN:  Fumani Mathabela

                EH: Siyabonga Sibiya, Muzi Thabatha

9.            Ndamase 0  vs Benny’s Care 9

Goals:  Matuka Kabota (2), Khuliso Mudau, Eethe Khaukanani (3), Lfentswe Mungadziwa, Alton Lesedi, own goal

10.          Mondale 2 vs Welabasha 1

                Goals:  M: Gavin Saayman, Dillan Fransch

                W: Siyabonga Mkhize

11.          Rosina Sedibane   1 vs  Sibongumusa 0

                Goal:  Motsiri Moshoma

12.          Cloetesville 4 vs Executive Academy 1

                Goals:  CL:  Antonio Lewis (2), Curvin  Williams, Jason Clayton (captain)

                EA: Zolani <Malahla

13.          Clapham 6 vs Rietvale 0

                Goals:  Percy Tau (2), Khayelihle Shozi (3), Motoro Monyai

14.          FK Tijiane 0 vs  Freedom park 0

15.          Harmony 3 vs Sebetwane 0

                Goals:  Mpho Moepetsane, Abram Morake, Tshepiso Lobelo

16.          Benny’s Care 1 vs  Louis Botha 1

                Goals:  LB: Freddie Hlalele

                BC:  Khuliso Mudau

17.          Ndamase 0 vs Eric Nxumalo 1

                Goal:  Fumani Mathebula

18.          Okiep 0 vs East High 3

                Goals: EH:  Muzi Thabotha, Moffat Nkuna, Thembumenzi Ngomane

19.          Welabasha 0 vs  Executive Academy 1

                Goal:  Siphiwe Giften

20.          Cloetesville 0 vs Rosina Sedibane 1

                Goals:  Sifiso Nkosi

21.          Mondale 2 vs Sibongumusa 0

                Goals:  Adrian Jaftha, Ricardo Vorster

22.          Rietvale  1 vs Sebetwane 1

                Goals:  Riet:  Angelo Van Rooi

                Seb: Itumeleng Mosikare

23.          Harmony 6 vs FK Tijiane 0

                Goals:  Tiisetso Noosi, Molelekoa Motaung (2), Reginald Tsoela, Buti Mokele, Mpho Mosoang

24.          Freedom Park 0 vs Clapham 1

                Own goal

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup National Finals will see a school walk away with R1 million

The national finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup take place at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban from 24 to 27 September. The 18 provincial champions and runners-up will be vying for some serious prize money: the winning school will be granted R1 million to fund much needed sporting and educational projects, the silver medallists get R600 000, third-placed school gets R500 000 and fourth place gets R400 000. The nine provincial champions have already won R100 000 each for their schools.

The games will start at 8am every day, Tuesday to Thursday, while on the final day there will be only 2 games: the 3rd/4th play-off and the final, followed by the prize presentations at approximately 2pm.  There will be music included on the final day with Biz Nuz, Mayma Kay and Professor entertaining the crowd before, during half time and immediately after the final game, so soccer fans should come in numbers to future Bafana Bafana players in action.

The teams started their gruelling qualifiers in March and it is now down to the last stretch, and with it will be the scouts and agents that come to sign up the top Under-19 talent in the country.  “This is what the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup is all about,” said Frank Louw, Sanlam Sponsorship Manager.  “We at Sanlam understand the value of development and the opportunity it gives youngsters to achieve what they hope for. We believe that the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates opportunities that have a positive impact on the youth, and provides exposure to scouts to source talented players to nurture and turn into professionals that will be future heroes and role models.  We are proud to be part of the process.”

There will be a new champion this year as title-holders, Gauteng’s School of Excellence, were knocked out at the provincial final.

Again this year the finals will see a blend academy players vs the rest.  Free State’s Harmony High School, the most successful school in the history of the competition, will be there again, but they were beaten in their provincial finals by Bloemfontein’s Louis Botha Technikon High School, who are in great form and must be pre-tournament favourites.

Gauteng’s hopes rest with Pretoria’s Rosina Sedibane and Clapham High School, who have the players from the Mamelodi Sundowns Youth Academy in their ranks. Others to watch out for are Limpopo’s Benny’s Care Academy and East High of Mpumalanga.

Then there the schools who have advanced to the national finals for the first time this year. They include Sebetswane Secondary from North West, and that province’s runners-up Freedom Park Secondary School. Limpopo will be sending a new school in their runners-up, FK Tijiane High Schools, while the winners and runners-up from both the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will be making first appearances. They are Eastern Cape’s Executive Academy and Ndamase Senior Secondary as well as KZN’s Welabasha and Sibongumusa High Schools.

The full list of participating schools is:

MPUMALANGA

WINNER: EAST HIGH ACADEMY

RUNNER UP: ERIC NXUMALO HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHERN CAPE

WINNER: RIETVALE HIGH SCHOOL

RUNNER UP: OKIEP HIGH SCHOOL

NORTH WEST

WINNER: SEBETWANE SEC SCHOOL

RUNNER UP: FREEDOM PARK SEC SCHOOL

LIMPOPO

WINNER: BENNY'S SPORTS ACADEMY

RUNNER UP: SK TIJIANE HIGH SCHOOL

GAUTENG

WINNER: CLAPHAM HIGH SCHOOL

RUNNER UP: ROSINA SEDIBANE MODIBA SPORTS SCHOOL

EASTERN CAPE

WINNER: EXECUTIVE ACADEMY SCHOOL

RUNNER UP: NDAMASE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

KZN

WINNER: WELABASHA HIGH SCHOOL

RUNNER UP: SIBONGUMUSA HIGH SCHOOL

FREE STATE

WINNER:THS LOUIS BOTHA

RUNNER UP :HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL

WESTERN CAPE

WINNER:MONDALE HIGH SCHOOL

RUNNER UP :CLOETESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Can Harmony increase their Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup winnings this year?

To date, Harmony High School from Virginia in the Free State is the most successful school in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, having won R2,2 million in prize money between 2010 and 2012. According to Team Manager Hector Mokhali, the team competing in the 2013 Free State Provincial finals, happening on Saturday, 7 September, at the Mangaung Outdoor Sports  Centre in Bloemfontein, might be young and inexperienced, but have what it takes to win some of the R3.2 prize money on offer this year.

The school won R700 000 in 2010 after finishing in second place and winning the provincial finals, in 2011 the school won R1 million first prize and in 2012 finished in third place taking home R500 000.   “The funds we have won to date have made a massive difference to the school learner’s lives, and the surrounding community,” said Mokhali.  “We have a 44-seater bus, 3 mini-buses, a TV and projector, sprinkler system to keep our sports fields in top condition and we have even donated R20 000 worth of sports kit to an underprivileged school in our community.”

But Mokhali says there is still a lot that is needed and the school Under-19 team is working hard at training to finish in first place next Saturday.  “We want a projector in every classroom,” he said.

Harmony won the Lejwelepotsoa district playoffs, despite a team that consists mainly of new players.  “These players are new to this competition and will be a little bit nervous, but we are expecting them to seize the opportunity, and follow in the previous players footsteps.” The team has played 14 games in the tournament so far, and has won them all. “Our aim is to continue our winning streak,” Mokhali said. “At the same time, we encourage our kids to have fun.  Commitment is what has brought us to where we are today.”

Mokhali believes the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Cup plays a huge role in soccer development in the country. “I think it helps young players as well as schools and community at large.  South African soccer has improved as a result and it particularly benefits the rural areas as they get the opportunity to see the best coaching and players in the country and improve their own game. Coaches also get to attend SAFA coaching clinics and then go back into the communities to put this into practise.

However Mokhali believes South Africa still has a long way to go to compete internationally.  “In many parts of the world there are extensive and sophisticated programmes with kids entering them from the age of 5. We do not have that in our country. Our clubs are also not as wealthy and don’t have very sophisticated programmes in place. That’s why competitions like the Sanlam Kay Motsepe School Cup are so important,” he said.

Competing teams:

Fezile Dabi	Dr Reginald Cingo High
Lejweleputsoa	Harmony High
Thabo Mofutsanyane	Mohato Secondary
Xhariep	Lere la thuto
Xhariep	Ipetleng High
Motheo

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.