Category: Schools Promo
Published On
18th Aug 2023Frogfoot expands rugby 7s tournament for more schools, more rugby and more excitement
18 August 2023, Cape Town: Following the success of its inaugural 7s School Rugby Tournament which was designed to showcase the talented U/17 players from 150 schools around the country, Frogfoot Networks, a licensed open-access fibre infrastructure provider, has announced a revised and expanded competition that will bring the opportunity to play in the competition to more youngsters.
The 2022 Frogfoot 7s series witnessed an incredible turnout, with over 2,500 school boys from across the nation participating passionately in an effort to book their place into the pinnacle of the event, Champions Day, which took place at Fortress Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria – which was won by Secunda High School.
Miranda Du Preez, Head of Brand Activations at Frogfoot, says the fibre network operator (FNO) launched the Frogfoot 7s school rugby series with a noble objective of giving back to the communities where it has deployed fibre, and that the tournament truly succeeded in creating a strong sense of community and embracing diverse cultures at each event. According to Du Preez, the impact of this inaugural tournament was particularly evident, leaving a lasting impression on all involved, and showed that it held even greater potential for the year ahead.
“This year, we’re taking a fresh approach and have decided to host two tournaments on the same day, but in different regions, to expand our reach and impact. In a thrilling collaboration, we’ve partnered with Supersport Schools to broadcast all the tournaments live, allowing everyone to enjoy the action from the comfort of their homes. Adding an extra layer of excitement, we are delighted to welcome sports therapists to some schools, offering their expertise in sports massages, ensuring the players’ well-being and enhancing their experience. To recognise outstanding performances, every single man of the match will receive a prize and the ‘Man of the Tournament’ prize is worth over R1000.00,” says Du Preez.
Overwhelmingly positive response
Last year’s journey began at Grey High School in Port Elizabeth. It spanned more than 10 weeks, with each game day seeing 36 matches take place at nine different host schools across South Africa, providing the perfect platform to put the spotlight on the country’s developing rugby talent. Other participating high schools included Brackenfell, Diamantveld, Frikkie Meyer, Oos Moot, Piet Retief, Pietersburg and Upington amongst many others.
Du Preez says the hosting schools welcomed the tournament with open arms and much enthusiasm, and Frogfoot has since been flooded with requests from countless other schools, all eager to host rugby tournaments, and that the revised format was introduced to bring the tournament to more schools in 2023.
“The overwhelming appreciation and compliments we received after each tournament were truly heartening. Messages poured in, expressing admiration for the high standard of the events. As the series advanced, we witnessed a steady increase in the number of sponsors and spectators, all drawn in by the excitement and passion that surrounded each tournament,” says Du Preez.
Heart-warming moments
Du Preez adds that the 2022 tournament featured several special moments that helped foster unity among schools, communities and the children involved. One such moment was when the entire Piet Retief High School ran from the pavilion onto the pitch to celebrate after their school won their regional tournament – something that the youngsters from a small town school had never experienced before. In a similar electrifying atmosphere, the pregame war cry from HTS Tom Naude’s U/17 team gave the crowd goosebumps.
Then, there was a touching moment when the youngster who won Player of the Tournament at Monument High School cried as he received his prize – a signed Springbok 7s jersey – saying that it meant the world to him and that it felt amazing knowing that other people supported and believed in high school sporting abilities.
“Rugby, a sport that unites South Africans and runs deep in our veins, draws families together to offer their unwavering support. Our primary focus remains on using the power of sports to support these young players, guiding them on a pathway to success while ensuring they have a fantastic time along the way. Through this initiative, we aspire to make a positive impact on their lives and empower them for a brighter future,” concludes Du Preez.
Published On
4th Aug 2022Frogfoot schools rugby 7s tournament shaping up to deliver high-energy entertainment
Open-access fibre network provider Frogfoot, which has a presence throughout South Africa, is proud to launch a schools rugby 7s tournament that will culminate in a grand final in Pretoria. Along with its partners Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost and Joule, Frogfoot is delighted to bring joy to communities in the form of the televised Frogfoot 7s tournament, which will take place for at least the next 3 years.
The tournament, which will take place at various schools around the country in August, September and October, will work towards a grand climax at Loftus in Pretoria on 5 November. Miranda Du Preez, Head of Brand Activations at Frogfoot, says that the idea for the tournament was born from the wish to give something back to communities, especially in light of current challenges and the drought of festival-type events brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, while also providing another platform for South Africa’s immensely talented school players to shine.
Du Preez says: “We have designed the Frogfoot 7s to be a combination of good rugby and family leisure time, with entertainment for young to old, from the games themselves, to fun activities and entertainment sections. A great tradition in rugby sevens globally is dressing up, and so we can’t wait to give the best-dressed supporters great prizes, alongside other competition prizes made possible through our partnership with Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost and Joule.”
Vodacom’s Executive Head of FTTH: Sales and Marketing, Strini Micheal, says that as one of the internet service providers (ISP) on the Frogfoot network, Vodacom Fibre wanted to further solidify their partnership and support a sport that brings people and families together.
“As the late great Nelson Mandela said: ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand’. This is a statement which resonates with Vodacom being a purpose-led organisation, especially during these trying times. This is a great opportunity to bring the communities together,” says Michael.
Vox’s Head of Strategic Marketing, Blanka Sulentic, says that Vox has been partnering with Frogfoot in the delivery of fibre connectivity to local communities it serves, and so partnering for the rugby 7s competition brings further synergy to their relationship and allows partners to engage, connect and uplift communities through sport.
“The school rugby players have the opportunity to attract the attention of sports scouts looking for new talent. Being a televised event, it’s a perfect opportunity for the young talent to shine. And of course, our aim is to raise awareness about the benefits of fibre connectivity, which is changing the way we live, study, work and play,” says Blanka.
Michael Van Onselen, Commercial Sales Manager of ISP Cool Ideas, says the business is always looking for opportunities to support communities, schools and sport in South Africa. “The Frogfoot 7s is a cool event – which is echoed in our name – and it brings these elements together: schools, communities and sport.
“Sport has an amazing ability to positively impact society. Whether it’s helping children, communities or even nations, sports make a difference on a daily basis. We are looking forward to the Frogfoot 7s. The same energy the rugby players bring on the field you will find off the field – super-fast, fun and energetic, with a few cool prizes up for grabs on the day!”
Afrihost’s Brand Creative Manager said being involved in the festival was a natural evolution of the ISP’s relationship with Frogfoot. “We believe the internet plays a crucial role in education by bringing a world of knowledge to the innovators of tomorrow. Afrihost and Frogfoot already have an established partnership and for the past few years have been offering schools across South Africa free fibre. The sevens competition is a natural extension of our partnership – after all, a healthy mind and healthy body go hand in hand.”
Commenting on the Rugby 7s, Du Preez says: “This is an exciting opportunity for Under-17 school players to test their skills against schools nationally, with the opportunity to play on one of the best fields in South Africa if they make it to the final.
Rugby 7s is a fast, high-scoring version of traditional rugby, played between two teams of seven players who have 14 minutes to advance. Frogfoot brought on board nine leading schools in our regions to host 10 game days. Each host school will invite 16 opponent schools for a day of high level, competitive, U17’s rugby sevens. The tournament will start in August and end on 5 November, in the final at Loftus.
Du Preez says: “Hopefully we create excitement around the sport and the players can express their potential against other players from schools around the country, while their families and the border community have an opportunity to join in on the festivities, including games, live music and much more. It is an event to celebrate both the sport and the positive impact it has on everyone.”
For more information, members of the public are invited to follow Frogfoot’s social media pages.
Video: Frogfoot proudly presents the Frogfoot 7s!
The programme of events for the competition is as follows:
Dates | Venue/School | City/Region |
---|---|---|
20 August 2022 | Grey High School | Gqeberha (PE), Eastern Cape |
27 August 2022 | HTS Tom Naude | Polokwane, Limpopo |
3 September 2022 | Sentraal Hoërskool | Bloemfontein, Free State |
9 to 10 September 2022 | Outeniqua Hoërskool | George, Western Cape |
16 to 17 September 2022 | Hoërskool Piet Retief | Piet Retief, Mpumalanga |
23 to 24 September 2022 | MenloPark Hoërskool | Pretoria, Gauteng |
15 October 2022 | Stellenberg Hoërskool | Cape Town, Western Cape |
21 to 22 October 2022 | Diamantveld Hoërskool | Kimberley, Northern Cape |
29 October 2022 | Frikkie Meyer Hoërskool | Thabazimbi, Limpopo |
5 November 2022 | Final | Pretoria, Gauteng |
Published On
25th Mar 2022Frogfoot Fibre School Promotion with Kommetjie Primary School
Throughout the Fibre rollout across South Africa, we have recognized the need for schools to adapt to an ever-changing educational landscape. Chalkboards have been replaced with digital smart whiteboards, and chrome books have been implemented in lab rooms, making traditionally set lessons more fun and interactive. The availability of fast and reliable internet opens up learning that encourages independent study in classrooms and ultimately enhances the function of schools.
Frogfoot Fibre is proud to offer schools within the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) coverage areas a free 1 Gbps fibre line. Kommetjie Primary School is one of our first schools who joined our school promotion, and we recently had the opportunity to interview the IT teacher and some learners to find out what their experience has been.
Lucy Winter, the IT teacher from the school says Fibre allows the learners to have a blended learning curriculum. The school was able to add chrome books in the lab and, because of Fibre, the students are able to take part in the Green Shoots Maths program. They were also able to implement robotics and coding, allowing the scholars to have a full digital experience.
Together with their Internet Service Provider, Vox, we are proud to provide the school with a stable and reliable Internet connection. We are firmly entrenched in communities in which we build and invested in bringing Froggin’ Awesome Fibre to education.
Watch our interview with the school and the special moments captured with the scholars. https://bit.ly/3wOUJTd
How to get your school connected
In order to qualify for the Frogfoot Fibre school promotion, all schools need to be within the Frogfoot network footprint and registered with the provincial Department of Education.
The free 1Gbps fibre link includes free installation up to a maximum distance of 30 metres from the boundary box situated on the boundary of the school property. Any additional distance from the boundary box in excess of 30 metres shall incur an additional cost, this amount is payable to your internet service provider/contractor.
For more information, please email marketing@frogfoot.com