DEFENDING COPA COCA-COLA CHAMPIONS REACH FREE STATE PROVINCIAL FINAL STAGE

The Free State provincial finals in the under-15 COPA Coca-Cola football competition take place at the Edenburg Stadium in Edenburg on Saturday, June 30 (kickoff at 9.00am).

This is the eighth of the nine provincial finals, with the nine eventual winners going through to the national finals in Johannesburg from July 12 to 14.

2011 Free State provincial and ultimate national champions, HTS Louis Botha, from the Motheo Region, will be back again this year. The school has been competing in the tournament since 2009 and have reached the provincial finals three times. With the prize money they won last year the school purchased soccer boots and kit as well as training equipment.

Prince Fani, who has a South African Football Association (SAFA) Introductory Football Coaching Certificate and degree in Sports Science, has been head coach at the school for seven years and has worked with teams from Under 10 up to the Under 19.  “COPA Coca-Cola is our favourite tournament and we have done exceptionally well.  This year is different in that it is an Under-15 tournament, but I have faith in my youngsters and believe we could well reach the National Finals again.  I have put in some extra training sessions to prepare them better.”

HTS Louis Botha is a Sports Academy and has produced many sportsmen that have gone on to become professionals such as Alan Donald (cricket).  Football was only introduced to the school more recently and already produced talented players that have joined local Clubs.  Mohau Molefe and Sedilaka Mokone are with the Bloemfontein Celtic (Premier Soccer League) under-19 development team whereas Wandile Tjemolane has joined Roses United (Second Division) and Samkelo Dladla with United Football Club (National First Division). “We have only been playing football for a few years now and we plan to make a huge impact in the Free State by providing skilled and well trained players.”

Key players Fani believes will one day become professionals include: Gareth Pietersen, defender and team captain, who reads the game well and is a good team motivator. Defi Fcholtz(striker) has an eye for goals and makes good runs. Tsietsi Ramosedi (midfielder) makes accurate ball passes, dribbles well  and is a good ball distributor.

Other participating schools are Nkgopolleng High School from Fezile Dabi Region,Concordia High School from Lejweleputswa Region, Tswela Pele ka Thuto High School  and Samuel Johnson High School both from Xhariep Region and Thabo Mofutsanyane Region's representative still to be selected. Kick-off is at 09:00 am at Edenburg Stadium in Edenburg.

Drug Free Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week

Close to 200 of the country’s top under-19 cricketers are in Cape Town this week for the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week and the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport are using the occasion to spread the word about the dangers of steroid abuse, and to encourage the players to sign the “I play fair pledge” that the Department of Sport and Recreation has implemented.

The institute’s education manager, Rafiek Mamon, explains that they will have a team going round  to all the grounds during the week to answer questions and to provide advice to players, coaches and parents.

Tomorrow (Friday) evening they will be speaking to all the players, in groups of four teams at a time, to make sure they have the relevant information about the risks they are taking.

“Our role here is primarily educational,” Mamon says. “We will not be testing players here, although the chances are that random testing will be implemented from next year. “We will be explaining the testing process to the players, so that they know what to expect should they be chosen to be tested in the future. We will also outline the procedure to be followed if a player uses a prohibited drug for medical reasons.”

Coca-Cola endorses this initiative:  “There are increasingly serious and complex global health issues that impact on the way in which we live our lives and on the sport field there is that ever increasing need to gain the competitive edge,” said Craig van Niekerk, Marketing Assets Manager, Coca-Cola South Africa.  “Through this initiative the focus is on fair play and sportsmanship which is the message that Coca-Cola promotes.  One of the key reasons for our continued support of the game at grass roots is to promote the importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle among the youth.  This forms a big part of our Live for a Difference sustainability strategy”.

Tournament director Morgan Pillay says the presence of Drug-Free sport at the event is in line with the week’s role as an educational as well as a sporting event.

“We need to prepare the best of the players who are here for a future in professional cricket, and being aware of the dangers of abusing substances, and the consequences of being caught, are certainly part of that,” he says.

Coca Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week, Day 1 Action, Easterns Batsman, Jurie Snyman

Coca Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week, Day 1 Action, Easterns Batsman, Lesiba Ngoepe

Coca Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week, Day 1 Action, Northerns Batsmen, Jean-Pierre Kok