Quarterly September 2007 - Odfjell

Odfjell Makana sends team toNorway CupBy Mel PinksAt the March 2007 Odfjell Makana S.ABoard meeting in Bergen, the Boardcame up with an idea that complimentedOdfjell Makana’s extensive socialupliftment plan: to send a footballteam from South Africa to take part inthe 2007 Norway Cup in Oslo. Researchwas carried out upon costs, logisticsand indeed the choice of a team itself.Chairman of Odfjell Makana, Mr Peter-Paul Ngwenya selected a school fromone of the poorer areas of the KwaZulu midlands, Emtshezi High Schoolin Estcourt, from which a team was selectedto compete in the 18 - 19 year-oldclass.With the assistance of Tracie Robertsonand Sayed Phiri from Odfjell Durban andAneesa Iserbelas at the Makana officein Johannesburg, we managed to equipand make travel arrangements for theteam of 15 players plus the entourageof teachers and their team coach. Notleast to get passports for everybodyturned out quite a challenge. The teamkept training, also during school winterholidays, to be well prepared for thetournament.Early afternoon on Friday July 27th wearrived in Oslo, and were met by theNorway Cup organisers. The trip andnot least the flight was a completelynew experience for many of our youngplayers. As we had arrived ahead ofSolid defenceThe Odfjell Makana Teamthe competition start date, the followingday we took the team to TusenfrydAmusement Park, where we all had avery enjoyable day.The morning of 29th July we played ourfirst game, against a local Norwegianside. Although exhibiting the betterball skills, our players were considerablysmaller than their opponents andwe lost by 2 - 1. We also lost our secondgame, now by 4 - 0, which meant thatwe had to win the final match of ourgroup to qualify for the ‘B’ play-offs. Onthe day of this match nerves were tensefor all of us, especially for the teamwho knew they had to win. This timethough, the tables had turned and withsuperb shows of African ball skills wewon the match 9 - 1. Thereby we werequalified for the B play - offs. The firstplay-off match was another very tensegame, where we won by a golden goalin extra time. Unfortunately, the secondmatch resulted in a narrow loss, and wewere out of Norway Cup for this time.Nevertheless, this was really not a questionof winning or losing, although theformer would have been nice, but oftaking part. To give a group of teenagersfrom South Africa an opportunity tosee beyond the Drakensberg Mountainsand perhaps have an experience thatmay ultimately affect their lives if nottheir outlook. Among the fondest ofour memories are of the people of Oslowhom welcomed our team in such a remarkablypleasant and sociable manner.Well, perhaps the team will rememberthe Norway Cup disco just as well… Wehope we can be back in Oslo next yearto take part in this excellent event.Odfjell Quarterly September 2007 37