2015 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup games begin in Free State's Virginia Region

Harmony High School of Virginia in the Free State is the most successful team in the history of the under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition, sponsored by Sanlam and the Motsepe Foundation having won a staggering R2.7 million over the past 5 years. Since 2010 the school has won the national title, finished second, third and fourth places. 

Only once – in 2013 – were they not Free State provincial champions after being beaten by Bloemfontein’s HTS Louis Botha. 

Their 2015 campaign begins on Saturday 18^th April, on their home field, when the Virginia Cluster games in the Lejweleputswa District will take place with four other teams including:  Marematlou, Mamello, Meloding and Reatlehile High Schools.

Hector Mokhali, Harmony’s team manager, says that although they meet the same schools at cluster level every year, and they have always beaten them, they are not complacent.  “We know that we are the most targeted team in the tournament. All schools want to win and progress through to the next round.  We have to work hard to ensure that we win,” he said.

Mokhali explains that, while they make sure that they don’t put pressure on the team to exceed the previous year’s side, pressure is self-inflicted. “It’s more a case of wanting to prove a point and show to us that they can also win the tournament and play better than the previous teams,” he said.

“I think that having pressure is a good thing for the players because it stops them from becoming complacent and drives them to achieve more.”

The Harmony Sports Academy was established in 2004, Mokhali explained. “We were inspired by the talent that Free State has and we wanted to give the players a chance to be exposed to a higher level of soccer. We are the only Academy in Free State and we source our players all over the province. We hold trials in December and usually look for 14 and 15 year- olds.

“We groom them for 5 years, and after they have completed their Grade 12 they get released from the Academy but we do try and place them with professional teams. Not all of them get to make,” he explains.

Mokhali says the team is ready for the games this week.  “Our advantage is that the players live in the boarding houses and training doesn’t stop when the schools are on holiday. We train every day, coach Pitso Mokoena has been working very hard with the team.  We still have 13 players from last year’s team, so we didn’t bring in a lot of new players. The boys know the mistakes they made during last year’s national finals.”

It’s just the first step and Mokhali said they are looking forward to meeting HTS Louis Botha. “They are a strong team and the one to beat to win the R100 000 provincial winnings again. ”

Harmony on track for another successful Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup season

The most successful school in the history of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, Harmony High School of Virginia in the Northern Free State, is on track to extend their winning record when they advanced to the regional finals of the Free State Lejweputswa District.

Harmony won the national title in 2011 finished in second place in 2010 and third and fourth place respectively in 2012 and 2013, winning a total of R2.6 million.

They will meet five other cluster winners in the regional finals on 9^th August at Hoopstad Stadium , with the winners there going through to the Free State inter-district playoffs.

Last year’s Harmony side was almost entirely made up of under-17 players and they used the competition as a learning experience, says Pitso Mokoena, the team coach. There are nine of those players back this year and he is confident that they will go all the way this year.

“We have played 7 intense and challenging games so far to reach the regional finals,” Mokoena said. “I think that the cluster stage has become more competitive over the years, more and more schools are getting experienced and are hungry for this competition. We played against Letsete Secondary School and I was impressed, we beat them 1-0, and that school has a lot of talented players, I wouldn’t be surprised if next year Letsete beats us in this tournament.”

Making the semi-finals at the nationals last year was a great achievement, Mokoena said. “I didn’t even expect that they would even qualify for the nationals. Now the players are more experienced in the tournament, I am confident that we will do well.”

Mokoena is proud to have been part of Harmony’s success over the years. “We strive for success in everything that we participate in, I am a disciplined coach and I expect my players to be disciplined and have respect at all times. We have that understanding and I think that is what sets us apart from the rest of the schools,” he said.

Mokoena said he has one extraordinary player this year, 17 year old Tebogo Mokoena, an attacking-midfielder.   “He joined us this year and he has adjusted very well with the team and I know that he will be a favourite with scouts at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup,” Mokoena said.

“Last year, 3 players: Kabelo Mabesa (defender), Mandla Masangane (defender) and Victor Noosi (mid fielder) were chosen to attend the Sundowns Development Academy Camp, and although they wern’t selected to be part of the Sundowns Academy, they learnt a lot and their eyes were opened as to what the future may hold for them. They are all part of this year’s team and they are hungry to win this tournament and make Harmony High School proud.”

The participating schools are:

Matjhabeng Cluster –Harmony High School

Matjhabeng Cluster-Letsete Secondary School

Tokologo Cluster-TBC

Masilonyana Cluster-TBC

Tswelopele Cluster-TBC

Nala Cluster – TBC

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.

Academies have topped the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup National Final Groups

The final round robin games of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe took place at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban today with Rosina Sedibane, Louis Botha Technical College, and Clapham College topping their group. The play-offs will commence tomorrow.  

For Gauteng’s Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School things are going according to plan.  “So far so good,” said coach, Tumelo Molabo, but he warns his team that more goals need to be scored if they wish to progress further. “The team I brought this year is young and inexperienced, but have been playing together for a few years now so know each other well.  I can see them getting more and more confident as the days progress.  We ended our League matches by beating Welebasha (KZN) 5 – 0. The boys have shown a determination to win and they are not scared of any team.” 

Rosina has not lost a game in the national finals to date and have scored 9 goals, conceding one goal against Executive Academy (EC).

The team Rosina is hoping to meet in the tournament is fellow provincial winners, Clapham, who have done exceptionally well this year.  “They beat us in the provincial final, but we are ready to redeem ourselves and they better watch out.  Last year we finished the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup in fourth position and we want to take first position this year,” said Molabo, who admits that the fact that most of the players belong to the SuperSport United Academy also helps.

Key Player for Rosina this year is Thabo Mile, who has scored 2 goals for the school.  The 19 year old Grade 11 pupil has just rejoined the team after suffering a foot injury .  “I thought that I would not be able to adjust after my injury,” said Mile, “but surprisingly I adjusted and am happy with my performance and it proves that I am on form again.”

Mile joined the SuperSport United Academy in 2009 and is grateful for the opportunity offered to him and the time the club and school has spent on him to improve his football as well as help him get a better grasp on life.  “It is amazing how life works.  My father wanted my brother to progress with his soccer career, but he decided he didn’t want to make soccer his life.  My father has since died and I am the one that is progressing in soccer. It is a pity he can’t see me now.”

Gauteng’s Clapham High School finished top of Group B winning all their matches with an impressive 18 goals conceding only one, against rivals, Harmony (Free State).

Newcomers, Louis Botha Technical High School from Bloemfontein, Free State finished top of Group C, winning their final round robin match against Ndamase (EC) 6 – 0, with Boipelo Segwaba scoring 4 goals.  The team managed to knock 12 goals into the net conceding only one.

Fixtures for the third day of play are still to be announced.

Results: East High 0 vs Louis Botha 1

                Goal:  Sizwe Duba

Okiep 1 vs Ndamase 0

                Goal:  Duncan V.D. Heever

Eric Nxumalo 3 vs Benny’s Sport Academy 2

                Goals:  EN:  Sydney Moyane, Adriot Mathebula, Silence Mashaba

                BC:  Alton Kapinga (2)

Mondale 1  vs  Cloetesville 1

                Goals:  Mon:  Dean Brandon (Kyle wheeler sent off for foul in penalty box)

                Cloet:  Curvin Williams

Welabasha 0  vs Sibongumusa1

                Goal:  Sihle Ndlovu

Executive Academy 1 vs Rosina Sedibane 1

                Goals:  EA: Zolani Malahla

                RS:  Skhumbuzo Mazibuko

Clapham 1 v Harmony 0

                Goal:  Khayelihle Shozi

Rietvale 0 v Freedom Park 1

                Goal: Bakang Monchwe

Sebetwane 0 v FK Tjiane 2

                Goals:  Dumisani Shongwe, Raymond Moroko

Benny’s Sport 1 v Okiep 0

                Goal:  Duncan VD Heever

Louis Botha 4 v Eric Nxumalo 0

                Goals:  Biopelo Segwaba, Aaron Mzethu, George Mlalele, Ernest Mabathoana

East High 6 v Ndamase 0

                Goals:  Muzi Thabotha (2), Siyabonga Sibiya (3), Bojosi Manjoe

Welabasha 0 v Rosina Sedibane 5

                Goals:  Lucky Gilbert, Zama Rambuwane, Thabo Mile, Sifiso Nkosi, Kwanele Zulu

Executive Academy 0 v Mondale 2

                Goals:  Dillan Fransch (2)

Cloetesville 2 v Sibongemusa 1

                Goals:  Cloet:  Regan Rhode, Wandile Yapi

                Sib: Sbonelo Sibiya

Rietvale 2 v FK Tjiane 1

                Goals:  Riet:  Horatio Mokwane, Maxwell Maarman

                Tj:  Obrey Mokwana

Sebetwane 0  v Clapham 1

                Goal:  Percy Tau

Harmony 1 v Freedom Park 0

                Goal:  Reginald Tsoela

Louis Botha 6 v Ndamase 0

                Goals:  Boipelo Segwaba (4), Ernest Mabathoana, Phatsimo Litseho

East High 3  v Benny’s Sport1

                Goals:  EH:  Siyabonga Sibiya (2), Thembumenzi Ngomane,

                BS:  Eethe Khaukanani

Okiep 3 v Eric Nxumalo 2

                Goals:  OK: Gian De Jongh, Duncan VD Heever (2)

                EN:  Fumani Mathebula, Sydney Moyane

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.

DAY 3 SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP NATIONAL FINALS

The four pre-tournament favourites at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe national Finals tournament duly advanced to the semifinal stage by winning their quarterfinal clashes at the Clive Solomon sports complex in Bloemfontein’s Manguang earlier today.

Defending champions, the Harmony Sports Academy of Virginia, representing the home province, beat KwaZulu-Natal’s Ezibukweni High 1-0 to set upa semifinal meeting with Gauteng’s School of Excellence, who were 2-1 winners over Lingelihle Secondary from the Eastern Cape.

The other semi will be between ther two sides who were probably the most impressive during the round-robin stage of the tournament – Gauteng’s Rosina Sedibane, who beat Limpopo’s Mammoka High 1-0 in their quarterfinal, and East High from Mpumalanga, who edged out Steenberg from the Western Cape in a penalty shootout after the sides were locked on 0-all at the end of normal time.

The semifinals will be at 3pm this afternoon, while the final and third-place playoff game will take place at The Central University of Technology grounds on Saturday.

The overall winners will walk off with R1million in funding for projects are their school, with the runners up getting R600 000, the 3^rd placed school R500 000 and the 4^th placed R400 000.

U-19 SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP NATIONAL FINALS PROGRESSING WELL

 

 

The second day of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup tournament in Bloemfontein saw the leading contenders cement their positions with Harmony and School of Excellence securing wins to virtually assure themselves of spots in the quarterfinals.

At the end of day one, with three games played, Rosina Sedibane and Harmony were on top of the log in their respective pools, with Mpumalanga’s East High on top of the third pool. School of Excellence, who are in the same pool as Rosina Sedibane were lying second in their pool.  The two Gauteng schools will meet in the last round of matches today, which will determine who will go through in first place in their group.

In this morning’s session, Harmony and School of Excellence came though their matches successfully, beating Mammoka 1-0 and Gaopalelwe 2-0, respectively.  Rosina Sedibane are up against Cloetesville in the first game after lunch. Cloetesville were in the running after day one, but they lost to KZN’s Ezibukweni this morning and their chances of making the quarterfinals have taken a knock.

A draw or better there will assure Rosina of a spot in the quarterfinals.

Harmony take on the other KZN representatives Emtshezi after lunch and a win there should see them though in Pool C.

 

Results

Ezibukweni 2 Cloetesville 0, Sol Plaatjie 1 Gaopelelwe 1, School of Excellence 3 Gaopalelwe 0, Mceba 1 Emtshezi 0, Harmony 1 Mammoka 0, Mceba 0 Lanberg 0, Steenberg 0 Emtshezi 0, Sol Plaatje 0 Ezibukweni 1

 

 

 

HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL IS THE SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP FREE STATE CHAMPIONS

Harmony High School from Virginia is the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Free State champion. They beat 2011 provincial champions, Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School, 2-0 in the final in Welkom last Saturday.  Both teams will compete in the National Finals happening in Bloemfontein from 2 – 6 October. 

Harmony is comfortably the most successful team in the competitions history.  In 2010 the school finished the National Finals in second position winning R700 000 and they were 2011 National champions, taking home the R1 million prize.

All 17 players in the current school team are also part of the Harmony Sports Academy funded by Harmony Mines and situated in Virginia about 8 km away from the school where all players stay in the boarding house.

Team manager Hector Mokhali says participating in the SKMSC is important because it gives the players a platform to be seen and be scouted by the professional football clubs.“The tournament has also meant a lot for us because the prize money we have won has improved our sporting equipment, not just football but for other sporting codes at the school as well,” he says.

Coach Pitso Mokoena singles out captain, Themba Dhladhla, as one of his key players. He was part of last year’s team, so he is experienced and is a very committed player as well as a good motivator.

Dhladhla says losing is really not an option for them because they have to maintain the standard set by the school in this tournament. “There is a lot of pressure on us but I believe the commitment shown by the team so far and the experience we have will work in our favour on the national stage.”

So far Harmony High School and Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School will face Lindelihle Senior Secondary School and Mnceba Senior Secondary School from the Eastern Cape, Benny Sports Development Academy and Mammoka High School from Limpopo, Rietvale High School and Langberg High School from Northern Cape, East High College of Excellence and Lindile Secondary School from Mpumalanga at the National finals in Bloemfontein later this year. The other provinces still have to select their representatives.

Sanlam Business Development Manager in Welkom, Shadrack Lenong 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.

FREESTATE RESULTS

Participating schools:

Pool A - Harmony High School (Lejwaleputswa Region); HTS Louis Botha Technical High School (Motheo Region); Moketa High School (Thabo Mofutsanyana Region).

Pool B - Concordia High School (Lejwaleputswa Region); Ipetleng Secondary School (Xhariep Region); Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School (Fezile Dabi Region).

RESULTS

Harmony High School 2 vsMoketa High School 0, Concordia High School 1 vsIpetleng Secondary School 0, HTS Louis Botha Technical High School 3 vsMoketa High School 0, Ipetleng Secondary School 1 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School 2, Harmony High School 2 vs HTS Louis Botha Technical High School 0, Concordia High School 1 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School 1.

FINAL

Harmony High School 2 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School 0

Pictures of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Parade

Frank Louw from Sanlam with the Harmony School Banner

Photo of the team a the school and prior to the parade

Former Mamelodi Sundowns player Joas Magolego during soccer clinic at Harmony High School

Trott Moloto and Mamelodi Sundowns Legends with 2011 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Champions Harmony High School

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LEGENDS SHARE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE WITH 2011 SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP CHAMPIONS HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL

The 2011 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Champions, Harmony High School, paraded their newly won trophy through the streets of Virginia on Saturday, 6 August, in an open air bus and residents of Glen Harmony location lined the streets to celebrate with their famous football school. 

In attendance was Mamelodi Sundowns legends Isaac Shaai, Eric Ramasike, Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela, Joas Magolego and Malombo Lechaba. The two have attended all Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial finals as well as the National Finals and after the celebration parade the two gave coaching clinic at the school.

Harmony has now won the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup three times:  2005, 2007 and 2011. As well as earning the school a cool R1 million, which will be spent on legacy projects selected by the School, the players each received medals which they get to keep as a memento of their success.

School Principal, Andrew Monnane, informed the community that approximately 75% of the winnings will be spent on purchasing two 15 seater Combi’s to be used exclusively to transport the Netball and Volleyball team on their various sporting trips.  The remainder of the funds will be used to build a volleyball court.

“Everything we have received from our Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup winnings over the years has been spent on purchases that have enabled the school to function more effectively,” said Monnane. “Our school philosophy is to ensure that all pupils do well in the classroom as well as participate in a couple of sports.  We believe this is important in developing a well rounded pupil.”

To date the school has received:  a new soccer pitch (2005 winnings), upgraded sporting facilities (2007 & 2008 winnings), built a media center equipped with 16 Computers (2009 winnings), a luxury bus to transport children to extra mural activities and extra lessons, Projector and Plasma (2010 winnings).

Harmony coach, Pitso Mokoena, is proud of the schools success:  “We lost eight of our players to the Sundowns Academy this year so we had to build a completely new team and entered the competition not knowing how we would do, but it is history now and today we celebrated our win with our community.”

Mokoena praised team captain and goalkeeper, Thuto Ramaili, for the key role he played in the team’s success.   Ramaili has been with the team for three years now and performed exceptionally well this year, but his key strength was his ability to motivate and guide the team.

The decision to honour the team through a victory parade was the brain child of Sanlam Sponsorship manager, Frank Louw: “Sanlam understands the value of development and the importance of realising what one hopes for. We believe that the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates opportunities that have a positive impact on the youth and also provide exposure to scouts for those pupils who have talent. Importantly, the tournament also contributes to enhanced learning through improved educational facilities for the benefit of the rest of pupils in the winning schools and the broader communities around them.”