The importance of early childhood development
South Africa has come under fire for neglecting young talent
The right early childhood development can often be the key to a successful career in sports. This, according to youth coach Azola Kheswa, is one of the main reasons why talented youngsters fail to turn their dreams into reality.
“How many teenagers have you seen I thought this kid is talented? A few years down the road you see them again and they haven’t made much progress. It’s because the foundations were never in place,” he said.
Although now out of the game, Kheswa has been working with the youth for just over 10 years, as Head Coach of Hotto Stars, a football team based in Kliptown. He said in his experience, the major factor was in early childhood habits.
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“If athletes start good sporting habits at a young age, it’s much easier to stick to those habits when they get older. If you’re waking up a five to squeeze in a morning training session from as young as 8 years old it will be much easier to stick with that routine as you get older,” he said.
“We need our development institutions to do better in this regard. To absorb athletes in from a young age and groom them accordingly,” he added Kheswa is not alone in his assessment, South Africa has come under fire for neglecting young talent.
Ayesha Moosa, who had a chance to visit and train with Spanish football clubs – Sevilla and Real Betis as part of the Gauteng La Liga Future Stars initiative – noted the key differences between Spain and South Africa. “In Spain, there is a lot more focus on youth development. We came across kids as young as 7 years old already integrated into academies.
There is also a lot more emphasis on discipline, your diets, and how you conduct yourself as a youth player. I think that’s where South Africa can improve,” The 18-year old said.
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