Two Gresswold teenagers and their youthful leader have set out on a mission to rid the streets of their community of loitering children who might be vulnerable and end up falling victim to drugs and other substance abuses.
Led by 20-year-old Prince Hitlers Ndlovu, who founded the club, Hitlers Prince Football Club better known as HP Stars, he and the other two coaches, John Chilwa (18), and Tshepo Mathothe (18) were perturbed by the number of children they saw loitering on the streets after school and on the weekend, day-in day-out.
When Ndlovu approached some of the children to enquire as to why they were on the streets and not doing homework or reading their books, the answer was simple: ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.
“The children told me there was nothing else for them to do. When they took a break from their books there was nothing else to do except walk up and down the streets,” Ndlovu said. But to Ndlovu, this was a dangerous situation which could easily lead to mischief and other criminal activities if these children’s recreational needs were not taken care of. They could easily fall victims to drug dealers who may see them as runners for their underground businesses and use them, Ndlovu said.
After a few brainstorming sessions with his colleagues, Ndlovu and his teenage coaches came up with a plan to start a football club that would ensure that loitering children would be taken off the street and onto the playing field.
In 2014, Ndlovu and his coaches formed HP Stars with only three children and used Gresswold Park as their training and practice venue but today the ranks of the club have swelled to more than 200 children who play in six divisions of the club, those being the U8, U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19. A fully fledged girls’ team is still under consideration.
The club registered with the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association in 2018, though it has not made a meaningful impact mainly due to a lack of training facilities and equipment to execute its plans to mould, nurture and groom future name players, not just for local Premier Soccer League clubs but for Bafana Bafana as well.
Details: HP Stars Youth Football Academy 065 309 6138.
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