Au Revoir to Benny’s Boys
The Benny's Care Sports Academy team and their coaches departed on Tuesday (yesterday) to represent South Africa with pride in the Danone Nations Cup world final.
LIMPOPO – Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Sport MEC, Onicca Moloi, wishes the u/12 soccer team from Benny’s Care Sports Academy as they go to France to represent South Africa with pride in the Danone Nations Cup world final.
The team and their coaches departed on Tuesday (yesterday) accompanied by cheers and well-wishes.
“Through hard work and determination you managed to make it through to the world finals and you now have the opportunity to make South Africa proud on an international level. We believe and trust you will make us proud in the tournament and bring home the trophy,” Moloi said during the send-off party in Sandton, Johannesburg.
She said the boys received brand new soccer boots and outfits to encourage them to represent not only Limpopo, but South Africa with pride.
“This is the first time a school team from Limpopo will represent the province and the country abroad and I believe they will make us proud,” she said.
Team Manager, Richard Sidebi, said the team will face off against the team from Indonesia in the first match scheduled for Thursday (tomorrow) following which they will lock horns with South Korea. The last match will be played against Italy.
“The boys are ready, both physically and mentally. The games for u/12 teams are different compared to normal matches because here we field eight players, including the goalkeeper, and not 11 like at the world final. We trust in the squad because they work hard together as a team. They will fully capitalise on the opportunity because it was hard work for them to reach this point. We were the first school from Limpopo and the first sports development school to win the title in Boksburg earlier in the year. We beat the North West champions, BM Mokitime Primary School, in a penalty shootout after a closely contested final ended goalless and now we are ready to test our mettle in France,” Sidebi said.
He thanked the sponsor, Danone, for making their journey thus far possible by providing them with everything they needed to prepare for the world finals. Sidebi added that without the undying support of their parents, the boys could not have come this far.
“The core values of the Danone Nations Cup 2016 is fair play, humanism, openness, proximity and enthusiasm. It is also the world’s biggest football tournament for children aged 10 to 12. Altogether 32 countries, 34 000 schools and 11 000 clubs competed in the tournament,” he said.
Read more:
Benny’s boys prep for their trip to Paris
Benny’s boys ready to show off their skills in France
