COCA-COLA® T20 SCHOOLS CHALLENGE HERO OF THE DAY FOR DAY 1

COCA-COLA® T20 SCHOOLS CHALLENGE 

HERO OF THE DAY

All footage is on http://www.csamedia.co.za

Gareth Wolmarans from Paarl Gimnasium has been named the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day for day 1 of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge national finals.

The prestigious Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day award is presented on each tournament day in recognition of a game changing ‘hero’ moment.  Gareth, who is only 15 years old, was selected for the award by a Coca-Cola appointed panel of cricket experts after bowling the final over of the match in his match against Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies).

'When I started bowling Affies needed 12 runs to win the match, I tried to clear my mind and concentrated on putting the ball in the right spot. The first 5 balls went pretty much where I wanted them to go so by the time I bowled the last ball we had won the match even though the ball was a full toss and went for a 6. I am happy to have helped us win our first match of the tournament,' said Gareth.

Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa’s Senior Communications Manager: Brand Experience commented, “Congratulations to Gareth Wolmarans on being selected as Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day for day 1 of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge national finals.  At Coca-Cola we believe that it is essential to put platforms such as the Coca-Cola® Schools T20 Challenge in place for players of all ages to reach their full potential. The Coca-Cola® T20 Challenge is Where Heroes Are Made and for many of the players here this week, this is just the beginning of a future in the game.  I look forward to following the likes of Gareth as they carve out a career for themselves in South African cricket”   

RESULTS

Morning Games

St Stithians 94/6 after 16.3 overs v/s Grey High 93/10 after 18.1 overs at NWU-Pukke Oval

St Stithians won by 4 wickets

Paarl Gimnasium 139/8 after 20 overs v/s Affies 138/7 after 20 overs at NWU-Ibbies Oval

Paarl Gimnasium won by 1 run

Grey College 130/6 after 20 overs v/s Kersney 118/9 after 20 overs at Senwes Park

Grey College won by 12 runs

Afternoon Games

Paarl Gimnasium 139/8 after 20 overs v/s Grey College 141/1 after 18.2 overs at NWU-Pukke Oval

Grey College won by 9 wickets

St Stithians 198/8 after 20 overs v/s Kersney 110/7 after 20 overs at NWU-Ibbies Oval

St Stithians won by 110 runs (Bonus Point)

Grey High 118/4 after 20 overs v/s Affies 119 after 18.2 overs at Senwes Park

Affies won by 7 wickets

ABOUT THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

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Danone Nations Cup Northern Cape Provincial Finals kicking off

 

The under-12 Danone Nations Cup football provincial finals are about to get under way, and first up is the Northern Cape.

Five regional winners will be in action at the Paballelo Stadium in Upington on Saturday 19^th March, kicking off at 10am.

The Five schools have come through a round of local cluster matches and regional playoffs and will now be competing for the right to represent the Northern Cape province at the national finals of the competition in Gauteng on 25 June.

The schools are:

Leerkrans Intermediate School (ZF Mgcawu district).

Van Rensburg Primary School (Pixley Ka Seme district).

Vlakfontein Intermediate School (John Taolo district).

Dr Isak van Niekerk Primary School (Namakwa district).

Beacon Primary School (Francis Baard district)

Leerkrans Intermediate School has been trying to reach the provincial finals for 5 years, and have finally made it. Their coach, Ronnie Cloete believes they are ready for the challenge. “We have not lost a single match so far this year, although I know the provincial finals will be different,” he said.

Jenwill Rooi will be their key player, Cloete said. “He is physically strong and always up to the challenge and is never afraid to ask questions if he doesn’t understand something.”

Dr Isak van Niekerk Primary School is at a slight advantage as they completed in the provincial finals last year and, although they were knocked out they have some experience of the pressure that goes with this level of the competition, said coach Gavin Cloete.  He goes on to credit the entire school, parents and the local community who have been fully behind them.  His focus this year has been on the accuracy of the players. “We participate in this tournament because we want to bring change into the kids’ lives, we want them to be sociable, confident and interact with other kids from all over,” he said.

Relatively new on the block is Vlakfontein Intermediate School.  According to the coach, Lawrence Senyamore, this is the second time they are playing in the competition and the first time they have qualified for the provincials. He is coaching the team for the first time, and although he has no coaching experience, he believes his youth and passion is going to take them far.  “The school designated me as the coach as I am the youngest teacher at the school (27 years old) and have the energy and enthusiasm to see them through to the next round.”

Van Rensburg Primary School is in the provincial finals for the third time. They came close to qualifying for the nationals last year and, according to coach, Jus Marolla, the disappointment at being knocked out in the final game has led them to work even harder this time.

“The key to success is ball possession at all times, using the entire field and taking your chances,” he said. “Discipline and listening is also important, but I also tell the players that everyone loses. What is important is how you rise above it and continue.  A loss doesn’t mean the end of the world.”

The fifth school is Beacon Primary School who will represent the Francis Baard district.  The school from Kimberley will be competing in the provincials for the first time after being knocked out early in the competition last year.  Manager, Mr Davis, is pleased with how the team performed at the district finals.  “We lost our first game and the boys were crying, but they picked themselves up and we won the next three games to top the log and qualify for the provincials.  The boys say they now ‘smell the tar’ meaning they are getting ready to travel to the nationals.”

As the deputy principal Davis has had to employ a coach to assist this year as the work pressure prevented him giving of his best to the team.  “Coach Norman is currently unemployed and we are happy to have him on a voluntary basis this year.  He has no coaching qualifications but did play for Northern Cape Celtics in the promotion league so he has a good understanding of the game.”

Davis has two exceptional players in the team as they are versatile and he positions them according to the opposition.  He says his players this year are better skilled and have a stronger physique than last year and he is looking forward to seeing how they perform and how they rise to the occasion at the provincials.

About Danone

Danone Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world.  Danone is present in over 120 countries across all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world

 

DNC registrations close and schools from vastly differing backgrounds will compete for a trip to France

 

One of the great things about the Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament is that it reaches every corner of the land, and now that registrations for the 2016 event have closed it’s apparent that a wide range of schools will be playing again this year.

Some of them are from affluent urban areas, where fields and facilities are not a problem, others are from the solid middle class areas, and others are located in the poorest rural communities where finding the time and space to participate in sport is a struggle. 

Yet, getting children out into the open and involved in organised activities is an important part of their education, and tournaments like the Danone Nations Cup provide an opportunity for them to move out of their limited surroundings and experience new things. 

Thornville Primary, located near Pietermaritzburg is one of the rural schools. It’s an old school - 82 years old – located in an area where there are many orphans and child-headed households and survival depends on child grants and school feeding schemes.

Thornvilles principal, Ranesh Chowthee, heard about the Danone Nations Cup at a local district circuit meeting and recognised the opportunity to show the pupils that there are many opportunities out there and there is always something to look forward to.“ It can encourage kids to come and play soccer as exercise is extremely important to the overall wellbeing of any kid,” he said.   

Chowthee stresses that the school’s focus is on academics and so the team was selected on the basis of the boys’ commitment to both sport and academics.

The team is coached by Bheki Dladla, a teacher at the school. He believes that the tournament is important as the boys will be exposed to players from other schools and they will be able to learn new soccer skills and how to interact with other kids from different backgrounds.

“It’s our first year of entering, so we are new to the competition, but we are hoping to at least get into the provincial finals,” he said.

Dladla is hoping Mbongeni Mchunu, his key player, will help them achieve that. “He was abandoned as a baby and lives with an unemployed aunt, but has a positive and energetic attitude to life,” Dladla said. “No matter what the adversity he has the ability to bounce back and see the positive side and has the drive to do better and achieve great things in his life.”

Mchunu is a prefect and one of the top academics in the school. He prides himself as a poet and is often given the platform at assembly to recite these.  He will captain the side and dreams of going all the way in the competition.

The winners of the national title will be going to the world finals in France. A trip like that is something worth striving for and although it won’t be easy, Mchunu said it is a boost for the team, and something that is getting the players to develop their passion for the game.

Mchunu said he would like to be a doctor one day and come back to the village and help the community – but he wouldn’t mind if he was scouted and landed up playing for his favourite club, Orlando Pirates.

About Danone

Danone Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world.  Danone is present in over 120 countries across all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world