Kasi soccer star shines!

FUTURE Bafana Bafana star shines at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe National Football Schools Championships.

Hlumile Tshaku (13) from Cape Town was the star of the tournament at Bergsig Academy in Rustenburg, North West, on Saturday, 28 September.

He was named player of the tournament and top goal-scorer with five goals. His school, Queenswood Primary School in Pretoria won R1 million after they became victorious in the Under-13 boys' group.

His coach, Lunga Nobela described him as a talented boy he scouted in the Mother City.

"I'm proud of him, he always shows hunger and is our rough diamond," he said.

Nobela said the win is big for him as a coach and the school, stating that the football team was founded this year.

"This will change everything. It's a matter of going back and building facilities for football, they only had ruby and cricket. I wish the school builds a soccer field. Once they have the field, it will be easy for people outside the community to recognise that there is football at the school," said Nobela.

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The coach also shared the technique he uses to make sure the boys balance schoolwork and sport.

"Every term I check their results to see how they performed in their schoolwork, I won't be happy that they are playing football well yet neglecting their books.

"If someone has not done well, I give them a break to organise extra lessons with the teachers so they can pick up their schoolwork. I know they love soccer, if I deny them that for that period, they work 10 times harder," he said.

Meanwhile, the Under-19 Northern Academy boys from Limpopo also stole the show as they walked away with a whopping R3 million that will go towards the development of their school. Other schools that won was Shayamoya High School from KZN with R500 000, Mamotoeng Primary School Under-13 girls with R400 000, Eletsa Secondary School with R700 000, St Annes Primary School with R400 000, Tshikota High School with R600 000, Nkabinda Primary School girls with R300 000 and Northern Academy under 13 boys with R300 000.

One of the sponsors, Sanlam CEO, Bongani Madikiza praised the Motespe Foundation for approaching them to participate in such initiatives.

"The work they've been doing in sports in the country has inspired us to be part of the programme. There's also netball that we did last month. It's a continuation of doing proper interventions," said Madikiza.