Past winners register for the 2014 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup

Most of the 2013 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial winners have already registered to compete in the tournament again this year and the playing fields are equal as most will compete with teams of which the majority will be new players.  Title holders and Gauteng provincial champions, Clapham High School, as well as Benny’s Sports Academy from Limpopo believe their new recruits will do the job for them again this year

“We have lost six players from last year’s group,” said Rhulani Mokoena, who will remain as coach of the team.  “But we have a number of players who will be making their debuts for us including Ntando Ngubane, an 18 year-old striker in grade 11, who originally comes from KwaZulu-Natal, and Motjeka Madisha, an 18 year-old defender in grade 11, originally from Limpopo.  Both play for Sundowns in the Vodacom League. The experience the boys get from competing in the League sets them apart from the rest of the players as they compete against good clubs from which they can learn.”

The coaching department will be boosted this year with the inclusion of Mike Manzini who has a successful career playing for Sundowns from 1995 to 2009 and played for Bafana Bafana in 1999. “Sundowns have given me additional assistance which will also help us in our quest to retain the title,” said Mokoena.

Limpopo provincial winners for the past three years, Benny’s Sports Development Academy, has also registered to compete again.  “As soon as the first term starts each year one of the first things we do is register for the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup,” said David Mufamadi.  The school has been successful in the tournament since 2010.    “We have won the provincial finals three times and the R300 000 we won has made a significant difference to my school.  We have new sports equipment and have renovated our school hall, entrance and the hostels.  We plan to defend our title this year and go a step further and finish in the first four positions.”

Being a business owner comes with responsibilities and challenges.  “Sanlam is the best sponsor for this tournament as we are all aware of what the company does (long term insurance) and we are reminded all the time that we should be investing in our futures,” said Mufamadi.  “I encourage all my students to think entrepreneurial so that they can go out and open their own businesses like I have done.”

Benny’s has only four players from 2013 still in the team.  “With 10 new players the pressure is on.  Although they have experienced playing in tough competitions, playing at the under-19 level is challenging as the style is more aggressive and the pace is fast.  They need to adapt to this quickly hence

our training has already started,” said Mufamadi. Like Clapham, Benny’s has identified their stickers as playing a key role in their team this year.

Registration closes on 17 March and the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA) is encouraging all schools to contact them and register and get a slice of the R3.4 million on offer in prize money.

Commitment could help school win KZN Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial finals

When the KwaZulu-Natal Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial final kick’s-off on Saturday, at the SAI Military Base in Ladysmith, there will be 12 district winners competing for the R100 000 prize and a spot in the national finals.  Kadwa Secondary School, representing the Amajuba district, will be bringing along a team that has been together for the past four years and therefore know each other very well and therefore play very well as a team, this just could be the winning formula, says coach,  Thamsanqa Mlambo.

“This year my team is exceptional,” said Mlambo.  “They have the will to win and know each other so well they can anticipate what each person is going to do next.  I believe this could just be what will be the difference between winning and losing.”

Training has been increased to four times a week to brush up.  “Looking at the list of schools participating it will not be easy as there is a lot of talent, but we have the fighting spirit. Further, the team has a number of good players who need to be exposed to scouts from the professional academies and this will be their chance, Mlambo believes.

One such player is Mandla Mokwena, the team captain.  “After becoming captain he has brought a change in the team, the boys relate to him and they respect him,” Mlambo said.

Mandla has been playing for the Angel United club since the age of 8 and training with older boys has also helped him develop quickly.

“Since becoming captain, I have made sure that we connect as a team, I have been working with the coach, developing new training methods, and mainly focusing on our physical strength,” he said. “I can see a big difference in the team since last year.  We understand each other and we are now able to handle criticism from each other a little better than before.”

MandIa sees himself playing for a PSL team one day. “I have not attended trials yet, but I remain hopeful that I will be able to attend trials for a development program. My talent is still raw, so joining a development program will enhance my soccer skills, tactics and physical strength.”

The competing teams include:

Amajuba	Kadwa Secondary
Ilembe	Shakaskraal Secondary
Umgungundlovu	Sibongumusa Secondary
Sisonke	Karl Malcolmes High
Umkhanyakude	Ezibukweni High
Uthukela	Wembesi High
Ugu	Buhlebethu High
Umzinyathi	Buhlebuyeza High
Uthungulu	Welabasha High
Umlazi	Hillview Secondary
Pinetown	Kwe Sethu High
Vryheid	Phumanyova High

ENDS

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.

ELETSA SECONDARY SCHOOL IS THE NORTH WEST SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP CHAMPIONS

Eletsa Secondary School from Brits in the Bojanala Region won R100 000 after being crowned the North West under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup football provincial champions at the Montshiwa Stadium last Saturday. 

Eletsa won all their league games which placed them top of the log. Eletsa and second place finishers, Sol Plaatje will go on to complete in the National Finals to be held in Bloemfontein from 2 to 6 October.

After six outing in the competition this is Eletsa’s first provincial title, however the school competed in the national finals in 2010 after finishing in second place in the provincials.  Eletsa’s third place national finish that year won the school R500 000 which was spent on a bore hole, upgrading of classrooms, a trophy cabinets, restoration of electricity, computers and perimeter fencing. 

Eletsa coach, Goodman Ramakobye, has a South African Football Association (SAFA) Level One coaching certificate and is an assistant coach at Second Division Club, North West Shining Stars.  He has coached at the school for five years and believes that with the players he has this year the school could well win the nationals and the R1 million that goes with it.

“We lost dismally last year in the provincial finals,” said Ramakobye.  “But the learning experience one gets from a loss often results in a win the second time around and I believe the players are more focused and determined this year and are listening to my instructions.”

Ramakobye has players from last year in his squad including midfielder, Paul Knight:  “Paul has some excellent qualities such as his dribbling skills. He has pace and takes on defenders with confidence.”

Defender Molemo Siloane is also a player Ramakobye believes could well become a household name in the future. “He is fast, is good in the air and reads the game well,” said his coach. All the Eletsa players compete for Junior Chiefs Football Club, currently in third position in the North West SAFA Development League. 

Paul Knight dreams of winning the R1 million: “I saw the impact the 2010 third place prize money had on the school and, while I am happy to be part of the team that won the R100 000, I would like to increase this figure as a token of appreciation to the school for the support given to me.”

Sanlam Development Manager in Mafikeng Lebo Nkete says: “Sanlam understands 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 for talented players.

RESULTS

SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING

Seiphemelo Secondary School (Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region)

Sol Plaatje Secondary School (Ngaka Modiri Molema Region)

Gaopalelwe Secondary School (Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Region)

Eletsa Secondary School (Bojanala Region)

Seiphemelo Secondary School 1  vs  Sol Plajte Secondary School 2

Seiphemelo Secondary Scool 0  vs Gaopalelwe Secondary School 0

Seiphemelo Secondary School 1 vs Eletsa Secondary School 5

Sol Plaatje Secondary school  4 vs Gaopalelwe Secondary school 2

Sol Plaatje Secondary school 2 vs Eletsa Secondary School 2

Gaopalelwe Secondary School 0 vs Eletsa Secondary School 1

Log Positions

Note:  3-points win,2-points score draw, 0-points for a 0-0 draw

1.       Eletsa Secondary School   - 8pts

2.       Sol Plaatje Secondary School – 8 pts

3.       Gaopalelwe Secondary School – 1 pts

4.       Seiphemelo Secondary School – 1 pts