Danone cup beckons for Joburg primary pupils
THE Johannesburg Primary Schools Football Association (JPSFA) will once again form part of the Danone Nations Cup, the biggest soccer tournament for children between the ages of 10 and 12 in the world. Registration is open and the tournament will take place in May.
The tournament celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and the JPSFA first came on board in 2017.
Their affiliated schools will be playing for a chance to represent the association at the Gauteng Provincial Finals, where they will compete against schools affiliated to the SA Schools Football Association (Sasfa) who have won their district playoffs.
The Gauteng provincial winner will go on to compete at the national finals against the eight other provincial champions, with the ultimate winner representing South Africa at the Danone Nations Cup world finals, scheduled to take place in Barcelona in October.
One school that has already registered to compete again this year is Bryneven Primary from Sandton.
The team will again be coached by Naeem Nakooda, who believes he has a few tricks up his sleeve to achieve more success this year. “We won all our league games last year to reach the semi-finals, but lost in a penalty shootout to Heronbridge (College) after neither of us managed to score in regulation time.”
St David’s Marist Prep School won the 2018 JPSFA tournament and went on to compete in the provincial finals where they won one, drew one and lost one of their pool games and were eliminated. The eventual winners were Zamukhanyo Primary from Etwatwa Township on the East Rand, who went on to compete in the national finals.
Nomlinganiselo Primary from Cape Town were the 2018 national champions.
The 2018 and 2019 world finals will take place as a double-header this year in Barcelona to coincide with Danone’s 100th birthday.
“South African teams have always made a lasting impression at the world finals with their colourful singing and dancing .... and we expect the 2018 and 2019 teams to continue this trend,” said Chantel Ehlers, internal communications manager at Danone Southern Africa.