Ekurhuleni blind women’s football coach does it again
Silver Spears Ladies FC blind coach Dumisani Ntombela wins the City of Ekurhuleni Women's Tournament and bags R30 000.
Dumisani Ntombela, the coach of Silver Spears Ladies Football Club, has just won his second major tournament since the Map Games win in Alexandra in 2015 in which he got the better of his counterpart, Sammy Modiba of the now defunct Alex Ladies when his team won 3-1 in a penalty shootout to bag the trophy. What makes Ntombela’s achievement all the more spectacular is that he coached his team to victory despite being blind.
The coach of a ladies’ team from Kathorus in Ekurhuleni, first made history in 2015 by thumping the teams of his sighted counterparts to win the Maimane Alfred Phiri (Map) Games championship in Alexandra for women’s football.
This time the ‘Blind Coach’, as he has come to be known in football circles, beat four ladies’ teams from Kathorus in a Top 4 Knockout Competition organised by the City of Ekurhuleni to bag R30 000 and a trophy, medals, and kit for his girls.
The tournament was played at the Tsakane Stadium on Youth Day and he told Alex News in a telephonic interview that he had done it again – winning a major tournament after the Map Games 2015 at the Alexandra Stadium.
In the Top 4 game which was more of a semifinal, Ntombela (34) thrashed Jobe Academy 3-0, to set a final date with Alberto Girls Football Academy of Alberton.
“This prize money is a Godsend, as I have been struggling to run Silver Spears Ladies FC for many years. I am currently campaigning in the Ekurhuleni Women’s Regional League run by Safa Ekurhuleni.
“I have to buy the girls’ soccer kits that have home and away jerseys, training jerseys, soccer boots, and shin guards and also transport them to games, provide meals, pay stadiums, pay referee fees etc, all this from my meagre disability grant.” He is appealing for potential sponsors to come on board to ensure that he realises and secures his dream of making it big in women’s football, and more importantly, that takes the young girls off the streets and away from mischief.
Ntombela has been blind since the age of one after a cancerous tumour developed in his right eye and spread to the other but that has not stopped him from dreaming of being of service to his community.
“I always dream big of taking women’s football in the Kathorus area (which stands for Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus) to another level but can only achieve his dream with the support of the corporate world.
In 2010, Ntombela formed Silver Spears Football Club for boys. The following year, he introduced a girls’ section to the club. “I realised that there were a number of young girls loitering in the streets, drinking beer and taking drugs, including indulging in sex, resulting in teenage pregnancies,” he said.
Ntombela has won four trophies with his girls’ team and 12 with the boys in various age groups in the local league and inter-local football association games.
Details: Dumisani Ntombela 072 630 2813.
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