SEDIBENG.- Sedibeng Ster Sport visited one of the leading development soccer academies in the Vaal to find out what drives them to develop future Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana youngsters.

Siyajabula Vaalpark Soccer and Aftercare (SSF) is a youth development academy based at Vaalpark Articon.

This academy is more than a football development structure; it supports youngsters with schoolwork, aftercare, beginner soccer, soccer development and elite training, soccer freestyle, chess, and life skills.

The SSF has boys’ and girls’ teams from the age of six to 17, with some girls playing with and against their male counterparts.

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Angel Mandla, the operations manager/administrator/coach for the SSF Vaalpark Academy branch, said their vision is to build footballers but also disciplined, educated and confident children.

She told Sedibeng Ster Sport the main aim is to keep children out of the streets, help them with schoolwork and give them a dream.

Mandla said they want to expand to other sports such as netball, rugby, volleyball, basketball, hockey and E-Sports.

“We are an ambitious academy with young coaches who want to make a name for ourselves. We are working tirelessly to make their dreams come true. We want to thank the school for the facilities and the parents, who have supported us since day one. The most important thing is for these boys and girls to have fun. Looking at their age results is not important because we are concentrating on their development to be better individuals,” she told Sedibeng Ster Sport.

SSF played a series of matches with other well-established local development clubs and featured in the local development tournament.