THE Under-12 Danone Nations Cup football tournament provides the

opportunity each year for thousands of young people around the

world to engage in a healthy lifestyle through sport and good

nutrition and, in the process, to dream big. This year, the dream will be to

represent South Africa at the Danone Nations Cup World Finals in London

later this year.

The first steps towards that dream have already started in South Africa and

next week it begins for the primary schools in the Brakpan district,

Gauteng, where 20 schools will be playing in the preliminary rounds of the

tournament.

The district competition will run this Wednesday, and on March 18, and

resume after the April school holidays. The District Finals will be held at

Malandela Ground in Tsakane on April 19, with the winners there going

through to the Gauteng Provincial Finals.

The key teams from the Brakpan area are: Lebone Primary School, Phumulani

Primary School, Dalpark Primary School and Geluksdal Primary School, with

newcomers Mangosuthu Primary School and Mandlethu Primary School being the

ones to watch.

“We are prepared and ready for the kick off,” said Phakamani Primary School,

team manager Sello Masiteng. “It’s not going to be easy beating the likes of

Lebone Primary school as they have been dominating our cluster and we lost

3-1 to them in the inter district qualifiers last year. But this year we are

more determined and the boys have been putting a lot of effort in their

training”.

Masiteng says it’s too early to tell how things will go for them, but their

aim is to reach the provincial finals, as they have never made it there

before. “The players are looking forward to competing and meeting children

from other schools. Hearing that the World Finals will be in London this

year has brought excitement and enthusiasm to the players. A trip like that

can change their lives.”