There is a football star that is rising on the horizon and that is Katlego ‘KGenius’ Mampa of Minerva Secondary School.
The 18-year-old Grade 10 learner who seems destined for a great football career, was named Player of the Tournament at the Sibusiso Cosmos Zwane (SCZ) Schools Tournament. The tournament was founded in 2014 under the SCZ Foundation of Sibusiso ‘Cosmos’ Zwane, a former Jomo Cosmos player.
KGenius, with a little help from his friends, single-handedly demolished the defending champions Northview High School 6–0 to help his school lift the trophy for the first time.
Besides scoring a hat-trick in the first half of the game, KGenius, who’s a former development player of Kaizer Chiefs and has since been snapped up by the Lions of the North as Highlands Park is better known, was a thorn in the flesh of Northview with his telling runs towards the goalmouth that tore the opposition defence to shreds.
He not only scored the hat-trick but had another two clear cut scoring opportunities that he fluffed and had an assist in one of the three goals scored by his teammates.
Mampa’s nimble feet, coupled with his dribbling wizardry, allowed him to turn and twist and confuse the defenders much to the delight of the spectators who thronged the Number 3 Square Grounds.
His coach was full of praises for his star player. “KG is a football genius and a well-developed player who has football stardom written all over him, if he can keep his cool, concentrate on his game and play with passion,” said coach and former schoolmate, Irvin Kunene.
Kunene was a Minerva matriculant of the Class of 2018 who started coaching as a learner and now holds a Safa D Licence. He wants to improve his coaching skills with a sports management qualification.
Asked how he felt to have scored the hat-trick, KGenius humbly thanked his teammates for the support and teamwork shown throughout the tournament that enabled him to score the Player of the Tournament award.
“I am over the moon for having had a hand in the success of the school team but my biggest ambition now is to ensure I make the first team at Highlands Park.”
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