Rabie Ridge’s Brave Lions FC brings change to the lives of the boys in the community
Aiming to bring change into the lives of the young men in their community, Brave Lions FC gives them a chance to play for their local football club, in hopes that they will get recognition from bigger teams in the future.
The Brave Lions FC is a youth development team empowering young boys through sports.
The main policy of their club is to take boys off the streets, and nurture their talents. For 3 years, Brave Lions has been doing well, winning trophies and getting a lot of boys off the street to join their soccer club. They are not only a football club; they care for the wellbeing of their boys.
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Stanely Mmotla, alongside professor Shoes Sibanda, launched the football club in 2022. Mmotla, who was a footballer himself, was offered a scholarship with the school of Excellence back in 1998. Unfortunately, he had to put his dream of being a professional soccer player aside and focus on his education.
Even though Mmotla did not get the opportunity to become a professional soccer player, he has created an amazing platform for the young boys of Rabie Ridge, letting them showcase their talent, and passion, for football.
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“I started this team based on my love for this beautiful sport. The young boys from Rabie Ridge needed the support and the drive. I had to step up and be the one to help these boys realise their talents,” said Mmotla. One of the boys who was playing for Brave Lions has recently moved to a bigger soccer team, Mamelodi Sundowns, while another boy has caught the attention of Supersport United.
A Grade 11 learner, Muzi Ndlovu, who is a goalkeeper for Brave Lions, recently got soccer boots from Mmotla and his team as a way of motivating him to pursue his dream of being a professional soccer player. “I fell in love with soccer at a young age,” said Muzi. “And coach was there to help me realise my talent and keep me, and the other boys, away from the toxic substances in our community. He does not allow us to fall behind on our studies, and encourages us to study every day after training.”
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Brave Lions, however, does not receive enough support from their community, but rather gets recognised by surrounding communities. “We are more respected and known by outsiders, based on our boys’ performances. Some parents are trying their best to assist, but most of our funding comes from my family’s purse, thanks to my understanding wife. We really need sponsorship as we have over 80 kids sharing 5 soccer balls, instead of the 40 to 60 soccer balls we need,” said Mmotla.
Even though Brave Lions are still developing, they have given hope to many boys in their community, and are even attracting boys from surrounding areas. The club hopes that all of their boys will get the opportunity to play for big teams, and for them, as a soccer club, to grow and play against other big teams in the country.
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