VIDEO: AIN kickstarts first football bootcamp

Potchefstroom’s first Football Development Boot Camp, offered by ACTIV8 Football Development in partnership with the J.B. Marks Local Municipality – Department of Sports, Arts, Culture, Sportistic and Athletes in Need officially started in Promosa on Saturday, 25 March.

According to the Athletes in Need chairperson, Busang Molekane a total of 121 aspiring footballers registered for the camp. “Although we experienced challenges of sponsors not sticking to commitment and dropping out at the last minute, we were able to discover many talented players and equip them with development training,” he explained.

The first two days of the five day bootcamp programme focused on the basic drills and technique training of players followed by football psychology preparation and game formation training, friendly matches and player selection.

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Busang says the highlight of the bootcamp was when two players got selected to be part of the Activ8 football squad that is set to tour in Saudi Arabia in September as well as when another player was selected to go for trials at a semi professional /professional club.

The following boys were selected to proceed for trials with semi- professional and professional football clubs in Gauteng and to be a part of the Activ8 Saudi Arabia touring side :

Olerato Kamama (14), Etienne Pieterse (19), Given Steenbok (17) and Lebogang Mathebula (16)

Busang has previously said it was extremely important to bring such a positive incentive to Promosa since the community is largely known for its social ills. “This new initiative is expected to serve as a beacon of hope for the youth within the community,” he said.

ACTIV8 is a football development agency from Gauteng and Limpopo . The agency hosts football boot camps across the country and it is supported by ambassadors of the agency who are former and current football players such as Sphiwe Mkhonza, Brian Baloyi and others.