These young soccer stars gave it their all during the season to secure the winning VIP Spur Masidlale experience. It was a particularly exciting season in the boys' category as the 2012 defending champions Lwazi Primary were hoping to make it to number one again. However, Sonwabo Primary pipped them to the post on goals scored. Both teams won eight of the nine games played and logged one draw each. It was the final goal difference of 32 versus 19 that gave Sonwabo the winning edge and secured the number one spot for them.
The girls' team of Lwazi Primary walked off as champions for the second consecutive year. The enthusiastic team won eight and drew one of their games. Their end tally showed them scoring 43 goals, while only conceding nine.
Both teams agreed that the effort was most definitely worth it as they got to enjoy a tasty burger meal at Seven Spur in Sea Point before heading out to the Cape Town Stadium for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to field the team with soccer professionals.
Excitement was mounting as the teams entered the dresser rooms to change into their special mascot outfits and get a team briefing.
Although great fun, being a mascot for a live broadcast soccer game, is serious business and everything runs according to a well organised programme. Heading into the tunnel with television camera's rolling and the stadium lights in sight, excitement was mounting and expectations building for the big moment when each mascot would get to hold the hand of one of their soccer heroes.
The signal was given and the proud mascots were paired with a professional player to head out onto the field. Cameras were flashing and soccer fans blowing their vuvuzelas as players and mascots walked the red carpet onto the pitch. Smiles on their faces, the teams from Sonwabo and Lwazi got a taste of soccer fame - and although their moment on the red carpet was only a brief one, the memory will last a lifetime. The teams also got to stay and watch a very exciting soccer match, which ended in a two all draw.
According to Khakhi Diala of the Spur Group, they were extremely excited about the success of the past season. Since its launch in 2005, the Spur Masidlale Soccer Development Programme has already touched the lives of more than 30,000 children, developed and groomed more than 700 coaches and visited more than 100 stadia throughout South Africa.
"Soccer is just the tool we're using. Our goal is to empower both the coaches and the kids with important life skills, which will equip them to be role models in their communities long after the Spur Masidlale League comes to a close," concludes Diala.
