The JB Marks region will be represented at this week’s Kay Motsepe National School Soccer Championships by three local schools, after Saints Christian School, Potchefstroom Primary and Thuto Boswa Secondary claimed provincial honours.
Local teams take on the country
All three schools will travel to Soshanguve, Pretoria, for the finals scheduled from 27 to 30 September. Saints Christian (u13 girls) and Potchefstroom Primary (u13 boys) are based in Potchefstroom, while Thuto Boswa Secondary (u19 boys) comes from Ventersdorp.
The JB Marks Municipality held a send-off for the squads, presenting each school with kits and certificates to mark their achievement as North West champions. Municipal leaders, including Executive Mayor Gaba Thithiba Ka Qhele and the MMC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Patricia Mtshali, offered encouragement ahead of the tournament.
Numbers, stakes and local pride
The national event brings together 36 school teams and almost 600 players from across the country. According to local reporting, teams will be competing for national honours and the financial rewards that accompany success — described in the municipality’s briefing as “millions of rands” on offer in tournament prizes and opportunities.
Coach Thato Legoete of Saints Christian gave an uplifting address to the learners during the send-off, while municipal officials praised the students for their discipline and sporting achievement.
Who will wear the JB Marks badge
Below is a concise summary of the JB Marks representatives going to Soshanguve:
- Saints Christian School — Under-13 girls (Potchefstroom)
- Potchefstroom Primary — Under-13 boys (Potchefstroom)
- Thuto Boswa Secondary — Under-19 boys (Ventersdorp)
| School | Category | Town |
|---|---|---|
| Saints Christian School | U13 girls | Potchefstroom |
| Potchefstroom Primary | U13 boys | Potchefstroom |
| Thuto Boswa Secondary | U19 boys | Ventersdorp |
Pathways, exposure and the wider tournament
The Kay Motsepe Schools Championship is one of South Africa’s largest school football tournaments, providing exposure for young players and a pathway into higher-level youth football structures. Participation at national level can attract attention from scouts, federations and sponsors — a factor local officials referenced when they highlighted the competition’s value for learners.
Students from the JB Marks region will face opponents from several provinces. The u13 girls’ draw, for example, includes teams from the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and the Western Cape. This interprovincial competition is part of the tournament’s aim to broaden opportunities for school-level players nationwide.
What supporters need to know
- The finals run from 27–30 September in Soshanguve, Pretoria.
- Teams from 36 schools and nearly 600 players will compete across age categories.
- Local match schedules and results are usually published by the tournament organisers and participating provincial associations.
For JB Marks, the schools’ progression to the national stage is both a sporting success and a community moment. Municipal kit sponsorship and recognition at the send-off underscore the local investment in school sport, while players carry both personal ambition and local expectations to the national fields.
How far the Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp sides will advance remains to be seen. The teams depart for Pretoria with municipal backing and the aspiration to bring home medals — and, officials say, a share of the tournament’s financial prizes.
