Heroes made at Coco-Cola T20 Schools Cricket Challenge

Dale College’s captain, batsman and wicket keeper, Yamkela Oliphant, was recognised as an outstanding achiever in the Coca-Cola® T20 School Challenge after managing 112 runs not out against Mzontsundu Senior Secondary School in King Williams Town, Eastern Cape.

Coca-Cola® South Africa and Cricket South Africa (CSA) grant this honour to players who excel in the competition and they are awarded a special commemorative cap and a certificate marking the occasion.

Director of Sports, Mr K.J. Friend, was full of praise for Yamkela.  “He is a born leader and well respected by the other members of the team and this award has inspired and motivated him to not just continue, but improve his cricket.”

Yamkela plays first team rugby and cricket, but Friend is hoping his loyalties will remain on the cricket field.  “I see him playing for South Africa in the years to come,” said Friend.  “He has already competed in the 2012 and 2013 Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Weeks and will definitely be back again this year.”

Dale College was knocked out of this season’s Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.  “Healdtown Comprehensive School beat us by 20 runs in this year’s tournament, but we are already putting strategies in place for the 2014/15 cricket season and we will hopefully do better,” said Friend.

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes, explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”

Eastbury Secondary School competes for outside gym

Eastbury Secondary School, Phoenix, Durban, was one of the schools that competed in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge, a competition introduced to schools participating in the Coca-Cola® T20 schools Cricket Challenge and aimed at getting learners to participate in physical activity. 

The concept encourages as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit within a 30 minute period. The scores will only be made public once all schools have completed their challenge.  The school that completes the most circuits in the allotted time frame stands a chance to win a prize of an outdoor gym to the value of two hundred thousand rand, which will be installed at the winning school.

The five drills in the Coca-Cola 30 Minute Heroes Challenge include:

1.    Shuttle runs between 6 beacons, moving a cricket ball from one   beacon to the next.

2.    Target Throwing at a set of wickets.

3.    Skipping with a skipping rope.

4.    Catching balls off a rebound board.

5.    Weaving in and out of 10 slalom poles.

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes,” explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola® South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”

“Through our Coca-Cola® T20 30 Minute Hero Challenge we are encouraging all scholars in the country to adopt a physically active lifestyle that will become a lifelong practice,” said Mbele. 

For full competition terms and conditions please visit http://www.cocacola.co.za/".

Penryn College competes for outside gym

Penryn College, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, was one of the schools that competed in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge, a competition introduced to schools participating in the Coca-Cola® T20 schools Cricket challenge and aimed at getting learners to participate in physical activity. 

The concept encourages as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit within a 30 minute period. The scores will only be made public once all schools have completed their challenge.  The school that completes the most circuits in the allotted time frame stands a chance to win a prize of an outdoor gym to the value of two hundred thousand rand, which will be installed at the winning school.

Pupils from Grade 9 to 11 participated in the event. “Our approach on the day was 60% fun and 40% competitive with our top sportsmen going first,” said Graeme Stewart, Teacher and head of Rugby.  “The Coca-Cola® team was fantastic and really energized the kids and got them enthusiastic, especially the ones that do not normally participate in sport.”

“During assembly the next day we showed the video we took and the kids loved it.  There was a lot of laughter!  The drills were short and sweet but high impact and the trick was to get them completed as quickly as possible,” said Stewart.

“It was interesting to note that we do the same drills at cricket practise,” said Cricket coach, Eric Gimaldi, who also coaches the SA Indoor Cricket team.

Penryn College has been knocked out of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.  “We are in a building process at the moment as all our top players left the school last season.  This competition is excellent and gives the kids the opportunity to play against other schools that are very competitive.  The games are short and we are finding that the entire school is interested in following our progress so we will be back next season.”

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes, explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”

The five drills in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge include:

1.    Shuttle runs between 6 beacons, moving a cricket ball from one   beacon to the next.

2.    Target Throwing at a set of wickets.

3.    Skipping with a skipping rope.

4.    Catching balls off a rebound board.

5.    Weaving in and out of 10 slalom poles.

For full competition terms and conditions please visit http://www.cocacola.co.za/".

Players from Kimberley Technical High School get recognized for their achievements at the Coca-Cola T20 Challenge

Batsman and wicket keeper, Mohamed Roseburg as well as bowler and batsman, Brandon Gertze, both from Kimberley Technical High School were recognised as outstanding achievers in the Coca-Cola® T20 School Challenge.  Roseburg for his 100 and Gertze for taking 4 wickets for 3 runs against Floor High School. 

Coca-Cola® South Africa and Cricket South Africa (CSA) grant this honour to players who excel in the competition and they are awarded a special commemorative cap and a certificate marking the occasion.

Cricket and Hockey coach, Mrs Lene Geyer, is hoping that this recognition will encourage more scholars to take up cricket.  “These awards are a morale boost for the boys and getting their prize in assembly in front of the entire school made it that much more special.  The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is now the top school cricket tournament in our province and I need to get more scholars interested in the sport so that we can reach the national finals within the next year or two.” Kimberley Technical High School was knocked out of the competition at the district semi-finals against Hoérskool Diamantvelt.  

Mohamed Roseburg captains the team.  “He is a great leader,” said Geyer.  “He is an exceptional cricketer and I hope that he will make the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week at the end of the year.”

Brandon Gertze is a talented sportsman, playing provincial hockey, and an academic.  “He is a remarkable youngster,” said Geyer.  “I see him as a professional within the next few years.  He is still young (17 years old) and I believe he will play in the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week this year.”  

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes, explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”