Passion for soccer prevails
"Some children walk to the grounds when they don't have transport money."
Jeppe resident Francis Phiri is a head coach for Rising Stars Junior Football Club.
Phiri recently left his job to take care of some of the young boys and to groom their careers.
“I love soccer. I grew up playing soccer for Swist Football Club in Bulawayo for six years. I also played soccer at school.”
“My ‘home boy’, Tendai Ndoro, is my inspiration,” he said.
With no salary and funds Phiri continues to coach, train and mentor young boys without failure.
“We struggle a lot. I walk all the way from Jeppe to Hillbrow to fetch children by foot so that we can go to Rhodes Park to play friendly matches every weekend,” he said.
His goal is to create an academy that removes children from the streets.
“Sometimes with the help of the parents we hire a taxi to Rhodes Park or other places to play matches.
“Some children walk to the grounds when they don’t have transport money. It is a big challenge for us but for the love of soccer we have to do it,” he said.
He said he makes sure they play matches every Saturday.
“On Sundays, I also go to church with all the boys,” said Phiri.
