HTS Louis Botha emerge as champions of the Free State Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Finals

Bloemfontein’s HTS Louis Botha beat Dr Reginald Cingo Secondary School from Kroonstad on penalties to emerge as the under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Free State provincial champions.  They take home R100 000 prize money and automatically qualify for the national finals where they get the chance to increase their winnings.  In terms of the rules of the competition Dr Reginald Cingo also qualify for the provincial finals.

HTS Louis Botha last won the title, and went on to finish second in the national finals of the tournament in 2013, and their coach, Prince Sani, said they were always confident they would make it to the nationals again this year.

“The team has worked hard since the beginning of the year and we came into the provincials with a positive and clear attitude and confident players,” he said.

And, playing on their home ground also helped. “We were playing on a field that we are familiar with, and had the support of our students, parents and members of the 2013 team who came to watch,” Sani said.

The finals did not go completely smoothly – they had to play their last two games with 10 men after a player received a red card – but the coach said they fought all the way till the end.

“This year the competition was extremely tough, I must congratulate all the schools that made it to the provincials. I believe the best 6 schools were showcased on Saturday.”

Louis Botha were drawn in the same pool as close rivals Grey College, whom they played twice before the finals, and beat them both times.  During the provincial finals the game ended with neither team managing to score which shows that Grey came prepared, Sani said. “They have improved from the last time we met them, all the schools came well prepared.”

Louis Botha met Dr Reginald Cingo in the final match and Sani said they were their toughest competition on the day. The game ended in a 1-all draw but his side managed to win on penalties.

“Every year the level of schools soccer in the Free State improves. It was definitely better this year than in 2013 when we last won the provincials.”

Louis Botha was in a tough group, along with Grey College and Concordia High School –the team that eliminated the defending champions, Harmony, this year.

“I was wary of Concordia, they had beaten Harmony, one of the strongest teams in Free State, and I didn’t know anything about them,” Sani said.

“I did speak to their coach, and did some research, and the first league game was Grey v Concordia so I could watch them and study their style of play. They were a challenge, but we managed to beat them 1-0.”

As far as the nationals are concerned, this team has been at the national level before in other tournaments, Sani points out, so they have experience in that regard.

“But the Kay Motsepe is different. This is the most prestigious tournament and we need to apply a different approach. The team has been watching the recording of the 2013 final game against Clapham. It motivates them to put in 110% in each and every game,” Sani said.

“I have told them that it is their time rise to the occasion, this year we are not looking to be runners- up. The 1st prize which is what every school will be aiming for. I know that Gauteng and Western Cape always brings the best schools. That’s where the challenge will come from!” he said.

Results

Grey College 2 vs. Concordia 2

Grey College 0 vs. HTS Louis Botha 0

Concordia 0 vs. HTS Louis Botha 1

Dr Cingo 4 vs. Ikanyegeng 0

Dr Cingo 1 vs. Manthatisi 0

Ikanyegeng 0 vs. Manthatisi 1

Final

HTS Louis Botha 1 (6) vs. Dr Cingo 1 (5)

First timers participate in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Eastern Cape provincial finals

The Eastern Cape Provincial Finals in the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation and Sanlam, take place at Walmer High School in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 15th August.

In the finals this year, despite the fact that this is the first time they have participated in the competition are Tsholomqa High School of East London.

Their coach, Lilixa Ntebe, said they became aware of the tournament two years ago by a SASFA representative in their area. “This year we decided to research and get as much information as we could about the tournament and to register,” Ntebe said. “We think that this tournament is a good way to introduce the boys to high level soccer. It’s a great initiative to prepare the boys in becoming professional soccer players.”

The team played five games on their way to the final, winning four and drawing one. “We thought we would play a whole lot more matches, but I guess not a lot of schools from our area registered,” Ntebe said. “But it has been an interesting journey for the team. I think that the real competition will begin at the provincials.”

The coach says they have no idea how intense the competition will be, so they are not looking for great results from the team. “We just want them to learn as much as they can this year and get a better understanding of the tournament so that we can prepare better for next year,” he said.

The team has been playing in the local league, so they do they have some experience, Ntebe explains, and they are excited and anxious about the games, considering the fact that they have never played at this level before.

Ntebe has no coaching qualification and relies on his experience as a player to help him. “I have been passionate about soccer since a young age.  I am part of the school governing body and offered my services as a coach so I have been here since 2013,” said Ntebe.  “I have been working with the team since they were 17 so we have been together for a long time and they have a good understanding of each other and they understand how I operate.  At the end of the day, we both have the same objective which is to see the team succeed, so we have to work together to ensure that happens.”

Training is challenging he explains.  “Some of the players live far away from the school so we can only allocate one hour for training two times a week because they have to travel quiet a distance to their respective homes. But we make do with that and do as much training as we possibly can in that one hour.”

The schools participating are:

·        Walmer High School - Nelson Mandela Bay District

·        T.E.M Mrwetyana Sec School - Cacadu District

·        St James High School - Chris Hani District

·        Malcomess High School - Joe Gqabi District

·        Pangalele SSS - OR Tambo District

·        Toleni SSS - Alfred Nzo District

·        Tsholomqa High School - Amathole District 

COCA-COLA® U18 CRAVEN WEEK HERO TO DON GREEN AND GOLD

Blue Bulls scrumhalf, Embrose Papier, who was named the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day for day 5 of the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week has been selected for the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team which will be taking on England, France, Wales and Italy later this month. 

The team, which is made up of twenty six players, was selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven® Week in Stellenbosch.

Embrose, who hails from Hoerskool Garsfontein, is one of four players to retain his place in the squad and was one of five prestigious daily Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day winners at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week.

The Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day was awarded to a player who inspired or changed his team’s fortunes with a hero moment.  Embrose was selected for a standout run in the Blue Bull’s match against Boland, which lead to a try and inspired his team to a dominant win on the final day of the tournament.

As a result of his heroic play at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week, Embrose will now don the green and gold of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team in their upcoming international series. 

Fetsi Mbele Coca-Cola Africa’s Senior Communications Manager: Brand Experience commented, “Coca-Cola South is extremely proud to support the development of South Africa’s next rugby heroes through the sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks.  The development of heroes such as Embrose is what the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks are all about.  We at Coca-Cola have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the success of the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks and the incredible foundation they have created for schoolboy rugby in South Africa. The sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks also signify the importance of living an active healthy lifestyle through participation in sport.  Playing sport, together with a balanced diet, may play an important role in maintaining a healthy way of life.  I look forward to following the progress of Embrose and his fellow graduates of the 2015 U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week as they carve out a career for themselves in South African rugby”  

The Coca-Cola® SA Schools team will face Wales on 7 August at City Park Stadium in Cape Town, France on 11 August at Outeniqua Park in George and England on 15 August back at City Park Stadium in Cape Town.

[ENDS]

Media Contact

Shawn Belluigi

Tel: 083 675 4338

Email: shawn@intunecom.co.za

About The Coca-Cola Company

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Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Gauteng Provincial Finals kick off

Gauteng will be hosting the second Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Final at the Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto on Monday August 10.  Eight teams will be vying for the R100 000 as the provincial champions and the two teams that make it to the final match will go through to the national finals where they will compete for the R1 million first prize.

Representing the Johannesburg North region at the finals will be Thaba Jabula Secondary School of Soweto who are in the provincial playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year.

Cassius Mpati, their coach, said that the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by Sanlam and the Motsepe Foundation, is a tournament they religiously participate in.

“The level of football in this competition is extremely high and we learn something new every year and this year is no different.  I think we have a much better chance of winning the provincials as we have home ground advantage. The Nike Centre is also our training ground.  The nationals will also be played at the same venue in October and we are gunning for the R1 million,” he said.

Mpati points out that the 2013 provincials were played in Mamelodi and Clapham won; and, in 2014 they we played in Soshanguve and Holy Trinity won. That is a good sign because this year the finals are in their home town of Soweto.

But Mpati realises that it will not be easy.  “We have grown and learnt a lot over the past three years, but there is not a single level that is easy to accomplish. You need to focus on what the objective is.  Preserving energy is key to the success of the tournament as each team plays a minimum of three games in a day and in the national finals this is for three consecutive days. Last year we went to the nationals and didn’t do as well as I thought we would but it was the team’s first time there and nerves and anxiety got the better of them.”

This year’s team is made up primarily with players from the under-17 team, Mpati said. “We have lost a number of players due to them being over age and some having finished school. We have not scored as many goals this year as I had hoped, but we are working on this.”

However his team will be boosted by two players that form part of the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Academy, including Given Thibedi and Happy Mashiane. “They are new to this tournament but have adjusted very well, and have been able to use the experience that they receive at Kaizer Chiefs.’

Mpati said that the school has galvanised the parents support.  “We need a crowd on our side so I have roped in the support of parents.  This is good motivation for the players to do well. It’s going to be a public holiday, so I am predicting the community members to show up and support Thaba Jabula.”

The school has also arranged for Papi Khomane a former Thaba Jabula student who played for the SA national team and for Orlando Pirates to come to the school and motivate the team. “The team needs such talks with former soccer players who can give them words of encouragement and advise as to how each player can prepare for a match,” Mpati said.

The teams participating in the Gauteng finals are:

·        SAFA Transnet Football School-Ekurhuleni North District

·        Clapham High School-Tshwane North District

·        Soshanguve East Sec School-Tshwane West District

·        Madiba Secondary School-Gauteng West District

·        M.O.M Sebone High School-Gauteng East

·        Alexandra High School-JHB East

·        Thaba Jabula -JHB North District

·        Mohloli Secondary School -Sedibeng East District