Maurice Kambukwe
WINDHOEK- The town of Rehoboth will this weekend explode into action when the popular National Copa Coca-Cola finals takes place at the town, where a total of 14 teams from all regions will battle it out for the top prize.
The Copa Coca-Cola tournament was launched early this year with the aim of identifying, nurture and reward the best in young footballing talent, specifically at secondary school level.
With the regional finals done and dusted, attention now turns to the national finals where all regional winners will grill each other for ultimate supremacy with action starting today until tomorrow afternoon in Rehoboth.
All the school booked their places to the national finals after winning in their respective regions. The tournament will also select a national dream team that will represent the country at a continental level tourney in a yet-to-be announced country.
Ahead of this weekend’s Copa Coca-Cola proceedings, Standard Bank Namibia yesterday set the tone when it handed over 16 pairs of soccer boots to players of the Baatubaja Combined School, which they will use during the weekend’s finals.
According to Standard Bank’s Manager for Public Relations and Communications Isack Hamata, who is also part of the organizing committee, the school played the entire qualifiers without soccer boots but however went on to demonstrate breathtaking determination throughout.
Accepting the soccer boots and bags, the school’s Head of Department Simasiku Obert said they were humbled by the bank’s kindness. “The school is humbled by this handover, this shows that we are not left out. We will make sure we win and fly Standard Bank’s flag high,” said Obert.
Four girls’ teams will be participating in exhibition matches, with more girls teams expected to compete in the coming edition in 2020. The tournament is run by Namibia Schools Sports Union (NSSU) and sponsored by Coca-Cola and its bottling partner Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in association with the government of Namibia.
In Africa, COPA Coca-Cola is played in 22 other countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Congo, Swaziland, Nigeria and South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mauritius and Burundi.
The participating schools are Mariental High School (HS), A Shipena, Kunene (combined team), Wennie du Plessis, John Pandeni Combined School (CS), Lordsville CS, Tutaleni HS, Neyuva Senior Secondary (SS), Eenhana CS, Tsumeb SS, Otjozondjupa (combined team), Mupini CS, Ongwediva Junior Secondary School and Batubaja CS.