GAUTENG TO HOST FINAL DANONE NATIONS CUP PROVINCIAL FINAL

Gauteng will host the last U-12 Danone Nations Cup football provincial final on Saturday, 15 June at Reiger Park, Boksburg.  The eight teams will start playing at 9am with the final taking place at 2pm.

Schools from Gauteng have always done well in this competition.  Johannesburg’s Bree Primary won in 2008 and 2009, the latter year they went on to win the World Finals after beating the team from Switzerland in the final at the Orlando Stadium.

Last year’s Gauteng champions, Sonqoba Primary School narrowly lost in the final game of the tournament to KZN’s Sinamova Primary, who went on to represent South Africa in Poland in the World Finals.  The school is back in the Gauteng Provincial finals again this year. Coach Thulas Sibeko is hoping they can go one step further than they did last year and make it onto the plane to London, where the Danone Nations Cup World Finals take place in September, this time around.

“The team has done well so far,” Sibeko said. “They always give 110% during the games and the results speak for themselves. We are training hard and I have been helped by Wonderboy Mtshali who was appointed by the Education School Support Programme. He has extensive knowledge regarding coaching and he adds his expertise in preparing the boys for the provincial finals.

“I tell the players that without working hard, they will never achieve anything in life. They need to be disciplined, work hard and never miss training. I also mention the possibility of going to London for the World Finals, which helps in lifting their spirits and getting them to do their best.”

Also in the finals will be Tsakane Ext 8 Primary School from the East Rand, a school that is only in its second year of existence. Making the provincial finals has been a huge achievement. Coach Mfaniseni Kunene says, “This was the first time we entered the Danone Nations Cup and yet we managed to make it this far. It’s quite an achievement for a school that is one year old.”

Several players have been doing well for the team so far, but the one that has impressed Kunene most has been goalkeeper, Thembinkosi Ngobeni. “He has stopped many an opponent from scoring goals.” he said. Kunene has moved training sessions to a half ground in preparation of the tournament. “Their soccer skills are good; we are now working on getting them to understand the rules of the game,” he said.

Also competing will be Kgomoco Primary School who has been playing in the tournament since its inception in 2000, but never have they made it to the National finals.  Last year they competed in the Gauteng provincial finals and coach, Tebogo Shale, is hoping to take it a step further this year.

“The kids are excited about the possibility of representing the country in London and are looking forward to playing the upcoming matches,” Shale says.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

Sidibeng East D7-Kgomoco Primary School

Gauteng East D5-Tsakane Ext 8 Primary School

Ekurhuleni South D6-Sonqoba Primary School

Gauteng West D2-Isiqalo Primary School

Johannesburg North D10-Lukholweni Primary School

Johannesburg South D11-Basa Tutorial

Tshwane West D15-Manamelong Primary School

Tshwane South D4-Makgwaraneng Primary School

NORTHERN CAPE PRIMARY SCHOOL TAKES FIRST STEP ON THE ROAD TO LONDON

A dream came true for the Under 12 football team from Blaauwskop Primary School from the Northern Cape when they took their first steps on the road to London after winning the Danone Nations Cup regional finals this past weekend.  

This past weekend saw two sets of regional finals in the Northern Cape being completed with the next stop for Blaauwskop Primary School from the Siyanda region and Willie Theron Primary School from the Pixley region being the provincial finals happening at the Keismos Sports Stadium, Keismos on the 16^th March.  Namaqualand, John Taole and Frances Baard regions will be playing their qualifiers this week. 

Coach of Blaauwskop Primary School, situated on Kanoneiland, near Upington in the Northern Cape, Johannes Julie, says the school played in the Danone Nations Cup for the first time last year, when they made it through to the regional finals where they lost to Upington Primary school in the quarter finals. “To qualify for the provincial finals in our second year of participation has brought a lot of confidence on the boys and I think that will help us a lot moving forward,” Julie said.

“We have worked on new strategies this year and it took a lot of determination and commitment from the boys. Fortunately I had 7 players who were part of the team last year, so that made things a little easy for me. I knew deep in my heart that I would want to reach the regional finals again, but I didn’t expect to win because we have strong teams in our region, including last year’s provincial finalist Keidebees Primary School.  I am glad we have passed this stage and our eyes are now on the provincial title.”

Jurie says he sits with the team for about 30 minutes before each practise session and talks to the boys individually trying to build their confidence.  “We trained three times a week in preparation for the regional finals and, although that was difficult, we will now continue where we left off.”

The challenge for the team, Jurie says is that most of the players live about 12 km from the school and, as a result, he can only keep them for an hour after school or else they will miss their last bus. “Sometimes there are only busses three times in the week and on the days when there are no busses we don’t train.”

Jurie says that should they go all the way and make it to the finals in England this year it would mean a lot to the boys. “They come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Most of their parents work on the farms in the area and the kids don’t even venture out of Upington let along travel to the National Finals.  I would like to see us get there as it helps them see that the world is big and anything is possible.”

Jurie singles out two key players in his squad. Randal Bonson, who was part of the team last year, and is a disciplined player and a good attacking midfielder; and Ambrosier Pretorious – also a midfielder whose pace and good passing make him exceptional.