Copas finest to undergo world-class training Coca-Cola

Outstanding players at this year’s Copa Coca-Cola’s tournament will be selected to undergo training by experienced instructors drawn from across the world.

The American multinational beverage corporation Coca-Cola made the announcement as they renewed its partnership with Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) for a year on Saturday.

Organisers revealed an experienced team of coaches will be tasked with the selection process as they officially launched the 2017 edition of the COPA tournament at Upper Hill High School in Nairobi.

The sponsorship deal worth Ksh.15m will see the company cater for full kitting of schools participating in football at Sub-Zonal, Zonal, Regional & National Championships, buy trophies and medals for all games, as well as run seamless administration of the program.

Under the Ministry of Education’s Term 2-A games in the Football under 16 program, it will cater for secondary school students aged 13-16 years and will support 4,000 schools across the country.

That figure is double the number of schools and students that participated in the 2016 tournament with more than 100,000 students having already enlisted for this year’s tournament.

“Football is a key passion point for teens & grassroots football is key to the development of soccer in the country. As a company, we strive to promote the growth of the sports sector by nurturing new talent in football.

“Our collaboration with the Ministry of Education through KSSSA provides an opportunity for students to unlock their potential in soccer. Co-curriculum activities form a basic component in the development of an-all rounded student and we are glad to be associated with this initiative,” Coca-Cola Company Marketing Manager – Kenya, Lucy Oduor said.

A brainchild of the Ministry of Education, previously known as ‘Term 2A games, Copa Coca-Cola, is now in its 10th year running.

“Amateur football has been key to the upbringing and modelling of our Kenyan soccer stars today. The soccer talent exhibited in our local leagues and abroad depicts the need for strong and efficient football development in order to churn out more future stars,” Ampher Apidi, ‎Experiential Marketing Manager at Nairobi Bottlers Limited Coca-Cola SABCO said.

The Copa Coca-Cola camps is reknowned for having produced some of the finest Kenyan football players including Kevin Otieno (Gor Mahia FC) and Robinson Kamura (AFC Leopards) among others.

International players who have gone through Copa Coca-Cola include Victor Wanyama who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, Dennis Oliech who has played for FC Auxerre and FC Ajaccio in Europe, and MacDonald Mariga former Inter Milan midfielder.

Major cities around the world including Johannesburg, South Africa, Paris, France and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil have previously played host to Copa Coca-Cola camps where students have gained networks and mentorship with the world’s biggest football stars.