FOLLOWING an impressive display of skills at the Greater Durban Local Football Association (GDLFA) Easter tournament and at the VW Vaya Cup at the weekend, the Umkhumbane Classic Football Club has earned bragging rights as one of the teams to watch in the 2025/26 season.

Coach Jabulani Zuke said the Mayville club, which has players from under-13 to under-17 as well as an open side, is on track to dribble the opposition on field with the boys showing “great determination and focus” at the Durban Central LFA (DCLFA) Selection Tournament where six of their players caught the eyes of the scouts and were asked to return for vetting this Saturday.

“The boys played well at the tournament and tried their level best, which made me very proud. We were knocked out in the semi-final against KwaZulu-Natal Academy, but I am happy to see how far we have come as a team,” said Zuke.

Starting off in 2013 as Super Angel FC, the young side merged with Umkhumbane Classic in 2021 to form a bigger club. The team trains from Tuesday to Friday from 16:00 to 18:00, and they are looking to spread their wings by forming a formidable girls soccer team. “At the moment we have four girls who are part of the club but we are looking for more female players to be able to form a team,” said Zuke. He said the club also focuses on youth development.

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“Every Sunday before we play our matches, the players attend Umkhumbi Life Skills, which is a programme run by Sizwe Mthembu that is designed to guide the youth towards the right path in life. We want to give our young players a chance, on and off the field, by showing them the direction that they need to go to achieve their goals.”

A former player himself, Zuke said young people can easily be drawn into the wrong life. “There are so many social ills out there, and we do not want these young boys and girls to be taken in by what they see as a fast way of making money. Sport, especially soccer, it teaches you discipline and how to stay focused. There are better role models in the game and within our community; we need to show them to our youngsters by encouraging them to be more active and getting involved in community-enriching projects such as this,” said Zuke.

As the team kicks off the season, Zuke said they are still looking for sponsors and volunteers to help push the club to greater heights. For more information or to join Umkhumbane Classic Football Club, contact Zuke on 061 449 6935.

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