Masilela encourages local youngsters to pursue soccer career
By establishing football programs for prospective soccer players to one day pursue their ambitions of playing professionally, Material Lingas hopes to enhance soccer skills among locals.
Through programmes tailored for aspiring soccer players in ekasi, Thabani Masilela, also known as “Material Lingas” (24), hopes to provide aspiring young footballers with an alternative avenue to pursue their aspirations to the professional level.
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For aspiring footballers in Thembisa and Kempton Park who want to improve their skill and learn from seasoned experts who have competed at the highest level, the Thembisa resident has introduced football programmes that will help them reach their dreams.
The Esangweni resident states that the soccer programmes offer young people in the community the chance to participate and grow personally, with the greatest coaching curriculum focused on a player’s overall technical, tactical, and physical development.
“I first became interested in sports when I was a young child. I used to work as a water boy for a team in my hometown called Iza Fast, which still exists today.
“I grew up learning about football and I played for the Tembisa Black Pirates alongside Happy Mashiane, who is now a player for the Kaizer Chiefs.
“As I grew up there, I created an NGO called Imvuselelo Sporting Organisation with the intention of bringing back athletic culture in my neighborhood of Thembisa.
“Because there aren’t many sports opportunities in Thembisa, particularly for the local children, who lack things to do, they turn to crime and drug usage. This is what motivated me to start playing sports there.”
According to Material Lingas, sports are important in townships because they bring people together and are where the best talent can be found.
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He also adds that sports fans must come together as a community to assist our children and construct additional sports facilities like those in Soweto.
“We are concentrating on our first project, which is a tournament called the 1632 U23 Soccer Tournament that takes place during school breaks.
“We hosted our first annual tournament in September of 2021, and we held our second tournament during the school break in March of 2022.
“We will be hosting our third tournament during the school break starting the week of July 6 through the week of March 17, and we have been successful in drawing a sizable crowd this year.”
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