KFC Mini-Cricket Coach and Coordinator of the Year named at national seminar

Thulani Zideba and Nokuzola Javu have been honoured in front of their peers by being named the Coordinator of the Year and Coach of the Year respectively at a glittering gala dinner, held on the last night of the 2014/2015 KFC Mini-Cricket National Seminar.

The annual seminar, which took place from Thursday, 3 July, to Sunday, 6 July, is jointly hosted by Cricket South Africa and KFC, and is an opportunity for a few of the dedicated and talented KFC Mini-Cricket coaches and coordinators from across South Africa to come together to share best practice and plan for the season ahead.

“Looking back on another successful and highly active season of KFC Mini-Cricket, we are proud that not only the number of participants, but also the unique opportunities to get kids active have substantially increased. Awarding the Coach of the Year to Nokuzola and Coordinator of the Year to Thulani acknowledges how the dedicated and committed volunteers from around the country are taking this programme from strength to strength. They are the real lifeblood of the KFC Mini-Cricket programme,” commented Lauren Turnbull, CSI and Sponsorship Manager of KFC South Africa.

Thulani Zideba, winner of Coordinator of the Year, accepted his award with great humility. A fine cricketer himself and wicket keeper for the Khayelitsha Cricket Club, Thulani takes great pride in his role within the KFC Mini-Cricket programme. In 2010, he was appointed as the Western Province KFC Mini-Cricket coordinator and since then he has taken the number of participants in the programme from 3000 to an astonishing 10 000 children.

However Thulani feels that he wouldn’t have been able to do it on his own. “I would not have achieved this accolade without the support from David Mokopanela at Cricket South Africa, the support from the Western Province Cricket Association and the support of all the brilliant coaches and coordinators in the Western Cape,” he said.

When receiving her award, Nokuzola, a grade 3 teacher at the Mzamonhle Special School in Uitenhage, was also quick to acknowledge and thank all those who had supported and assisted her in organising transport, branding, fixtures and promoting KFC Mini-Cricket at their schools.

KFC Mini-Cricket gives kids of all ages and abilities the chance to get active, even those that are differently abled, physically or intellectually. Since 2010 when KFC started sponsoring the mini-cricket programme, the number of kids playing cricket has increased by over 29%, from 83,683 to 107,872 kids from 4,986 schools across South Africa.

“As we move into the new season, our shared vision remains to get more kids in South Africa to lead active lifestyles through the KFC Mini-Cricket programme, and we are looking to continue to build upon the positive momentum generated over the course of the very successful 2013/2014 season which saw more kids than ever getting active across South Africa,” said Turnbull.

“With over 107 000 kids from across the country actively involved in KFC Mini-Cricket, this number will only continue to grow thanks to the dynamic and committed coaches and coordinators like Nokuzola and Thulani,” Turnbull concluded.

Curwin Bosch from Eastern Province is the Coca-Cola Hero of the day for day 2 of the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week

Curwin Bosch from Eastern Province is the Coca-Cola Hero of the day for day 2 of the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week

Curwin Bosch won man in the match for his performance against the Blue Bulls where he scored a try and 2 coversions and 4 penalties for a total of 21 points but the reason why he won the Coca-Cola Hero of the day. The reason why he was chosen was because of a moment of brilliance where he scored his try. The Blue Bulls had dominated the game up to the 51^st minute having scored a try and kicked 4 penalties and were leading 19-9. Eastern Province had a couple of opportunities up to then through breakaway runs. Eastern Province got a penalty in the 50^th minute of the game and Rouche Nel, their scrumhalf, took it quickly and passed it to Curwin who ran through a couple of tackles to score under the post. This was the moment that changed the game and Eastern Province eventually ran out 26-25 winners.

Day 1 of the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week kicks off in Middelburg

The final match of the opening day of the 51^st Coca-Cola Craven Week in Middelburg on Monday was a humdinger, with pre-tournament favourites, Western Province, holding out in the face of a ferocious second half onslaught from the hosts, the Pumas, to win by a single point, 33-32.

Province led 30-15 at half time, but could only add a single penalty in the second half, while the Pumas scored three tries and came within whisker of causing a major upset.

The win meant that Province are still on track for a spot in Saturday’s unofficial final, after their under-13, under-16 and Academy Week teams all won the main games in the earlier Coca-Cola youth weeks.

Winger Duncan Saal scored two tries for his side, with lock Jaco Willemse getting the other one. Fullback Tiaan Swanepoel produced a flawless goal-kicking display, slotting three penalties and three conversions for an 18-point contribution.

The Pumas scored four tries, through Barend Smit, Mfundo Ndlovu, Stephan Enslin and Driaan Bester. Flyhalf, Muller Joubert kicked three penalties and two conversions.

Earlier in the day, South Western Districts shocked KwaZulu-Natal by beating them 18-13. The win meant that SWD now have a shot at the coveted main game, although one expects they will be up against Western Province next.

The visitors from Zimbabwe won a lot of friends with their never-say-die attitude. They came back from being 54-17 down against Eastern Province Country to lose 54-43 in the end.

The other winners on day one were the Northern Free State Griffons, 47-20 over Border, and the Limpopo Blue Bulls, who beat Griquas Country 25-19.

On day two the Blue Bulls take on Eastern Province and the Golden Lions play Free State in the big games.

Monday's results

Limpopo Blue Bulls 25 Griquas Country 19, Eastern Province Country 54 Zimbabwe 43, Griffons 47 Border 20, SWD 18 KwaZulu-Natal 13, Western Province 33 Pumas 22.

Tuesday’s Fixtures

Griquas v Border Country, Namibia v Leopards, Valke v Boland, Blue Bulls v Eastern Province, Golden Lions v Free State

Pinetown school takes a step closer to winning the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup

Umqhele Secondary School of Clermont are the Pinetown District winners of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup soccer competition and are looking to repeat the feats of the school’s 2011 team that won KwaZulu-Natal provincial title.

It has not been easy says assistant coach and team manager, Phenduka Mkhwanazi. “All games we played were extremely challenging,” he said. “We are based in a small area and play against the same schools every year so we all know each other’s weaknesses and their strengths.  But we won all five scheduled games so we are on track and will hopefully reach our goal, which is to win the KZN provincial finals.”

The team has been on an extensive training programme for the entire year, Mkhwanazi said as they need to be physically fit and are able to keep up with the other teams’ performance levels. Further, he has also introduced regular team talks.  “I am a firm believer in having team talks as this is where the players can share their thoughts and visions. We have team talks before and after every game to strategise and then to recap.”

The team has been impressive in scoring goals so far. “The most impressive game was when we beat Buhlebemfundo Secondary 7-0 which is our highest score to date in this tournament.”

Umqhele is boosted by three players that are affiliated to the Amazulu FC youth development team (Durban Warriors).  Striker, Linda Bhengu and was part of the SA under-20 national team that played against Ethiopia earlier this year.

Mkhwanazi said he is going to be a key player, going forward, as are defender Zanyiso Zungu and striker Phiwayinkosi Lukhele, the other players who are with Amazulu.

Mkhwanazi is also the football development officer in Clermont, and has been involved in soccer for a number of years. He says his main aim is to help talented soccer players from KZN reach the professional level and play for PSL teams.

The Umqhele team is coached by Sthembiso Ntuli who is not a teacher at the school. He has a level 1 qualification, and has been coaching for many years. “He has the skills to take the team to great heights,” Mkhwanazi said.

Mkhwanazi thinks it’s great to have the academy schools on board as they bring a new element to the tournament and the boys can learn a thing or two from them. “We try to run our team like an academy, our players live in the school boarding facilities, so they are together all the time, they are a unified team and work  very well together. We try our best to make sure that they get matching tracksuits and soccer boots, the school does a lot of fund raising to support them.”

There is R100 000 up for grabs for the provincial winners in the competition and, should Umqhele win it, the school will repair the classrooms that have broken windows and doors, they would like to add mobile classes as they are getting more and more students every year. “The school also needs a Mini Taxi that will be used to transport players to and from games, transportation is one of the problems that we have at the school,” he said. “We would also use some of the money to assist with the day to day running of the boarding facility.”

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.