PROSPECTIVE talents in the KwaMakhutha township were wrangled together for a grassroots festival hosted by the South African Football Association (SAFA) at Amanzimtoti Local Football Association’s (LFA) Umkhumbi Sports Ground recently.

Also read: Mini rugby stars shine in first tournament [Pics]

More than 400 players and their coaches set their boots on the ground to develop their skills and nurture their talent. Coaching clinic master classes were conducted by SAFA eThekwini instructors and it focused on equipping the children for success. They were taught basic football skills as well as the importance of balancing sport with school.

Skhulu Hlophe, president of the Amanzimtoti LFA, said, “I brought this LFA to help bring stability to this community. If you want to unite communities, soccer is what people know. We are honoured to have the president of SAFA eThekwini, Mazwi Mkhize, and the general secretary, Zama Buthelezi, as well as the instructors, to have attended the day and share valuable tips. They also spoke about how children should balance soccer and school in their lives. The event went very well.”

One of the young coaches in attendance was KwaMakhutha Royal Spurs Football Club’s Mondli Gumede. He said, “I think the event was a massive success. We had a lot to learn in all aspects. Running a soccer team in rural townships is not easy as we often do not have access to all the basic needs and knowledge about training the different age groups. This was the very first event of its kind to happen in my community and we wish such development events happen more often. A lot of us cannot afford to get trained and licensed.”

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.