Freestyle football more than a hobby – Mkhize
Mkhize encouraged more people to pursue the sport and not treat it like a hobby.
Ashley Mkhize’s (31) passion for football made him become a freestyle footballer.
Mkhize, a freestyle footballer since 2009, said Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho Gaúcho inspired him to learn freestyle soccer skills.
“I used to watch Ronaldinho’s soccer skills videos and copied what he did, never knowing it would turn into a career for me. In 2010, a telecommunication company recruited me to be part of their promotional campaign.
“They promoted sim cards and wanted freestyle footballers, so I became part of the promotional team after a friend recommended me. That changed my perception of freestyle football. I realised it could be more than just a hobby,” said Mkhize.
He said his first competition was the Red Bull Street Style.
“I didn’t do well and finished 35th, but I learnt a lot from my competitors and from there, I never looked back. I quit playing soccer for freestyling, and I don’t regret making that choice,” he expressed.
Mkhize said that he doesn’t believe freestyle football gets the recognition it deserves.
“The main reason is that most people still believe freestyling is a hobby more than a career. As freestyle footballers, we formed associations that will help change the sport’s image.
“We established the South African Freestyle Football Association (SAFFA) and I’m the president of SAFFA,” explained Mkhize.
He said he didn’t want freestyle footballers to experience the same issues he did.
“I used to struggle a lot to go and compete because I didn’t have a sponsor until Hi-Tec sponsored me, but that shouldn’t be the same for other freestylers.
“There are various categories in freestyle competition – pana, routine and one V one. I earned a gold medal in the pana category in 2019. That was when I competed in the African Freestyle Football Championships,” said Mkhize.
Mkhize said that becoming a freestyle footballer takes passion, practice and determination.
People interested in becoming freestyle footballers can follow SAFFA on Facebook: South African Freestyle Football, Youtube: SA Freestyle Football and Instagram: SA_Freestyle Football.
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