After years away from the pitch, youth football coach and academy founder Chris Dlamini has returned to the Sandown High School grounds with a renewed mission: To refocus grassroots football on children, not adult expectations.

Dlamini, 41, is the founder of FC Pro Athletico Junior Soccer and has been involved in football for most of his life.

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He said his journey back to the Sandton-based grounds has not been easy, describing it as a long and difficult process after his academy was forced to halt operations several years ago.

The academy, which launched in 2009 and gained momentum following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, was disrupted when Sandown High School expanded its classrooms, temporarily using the school’s soccer field for additional space.

Now back, he adds that the focus is firmly on rebuilding, and on creating a welcoming environment for children, particularly those from disadvantaged communities. “I have always believed football should first and foremost be about love for the game. If you get that right, everything else follows.”

Beyond his return to coaching, Dlamini has also raised broader concerns about the state of youth football in the country.

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Chris Dlamini, from FC Pro Athletico Junior Soccer, reintroduces himself to the community of Sandton on January 27, 2026, at Sandown. Video: Duduzile Khumalo #Sandton #Football ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

He pointed to high dropout rates, noting that while millions of children register to play football each year, a significant number quit the sport by their early teens.

According to Dlamini, the problem is not a lack of talent, but the pressure placed on children by adults. “Too often, children are pushed into rigid systems where winning, labels like elite, and adult ambition take priority over enjoyment and development. That’s when the fun disappears.”

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He argues that early talent identification and the commercialisation of youth sport have created unrealistic expectations for families, while excluding many children who simply want to play.

Dlamini elaborated that very few young players will ever reach professional football, yet many are subjected to intense training schedules and financial demands at an early age.

At FC Pro Athletico, the goal is to reverse that trend by prioritising enjoyment, balanced competition, and personal growth.

Dlamini calls on parents, coaches, and administrators to reconsider their role in youth sport and to place children’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making. “We only move sport forward when we give it back to the kids.”

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