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An Under-19 football team from South Africa, currently touring Qatar, was put together for a far greater purpose than just playing the game. According to team officials, the greater purpose in cobbling the team together was to bring about a positive change in the society.
The team from the Cape Flats Football Academy, will spend two weeks playing different clubs with their age group footballers in Qatar. They have so far played their counterparts in Al Ahli Sports Club, Markhiya Sports Club, Al Arabi Sports Club, Doha Oryx FC, Pakistan International School and Lusail Football Club.
Recently, the South African Embassy hosted a luncheon for the team, where the officials had inspirational messages to share for the team.
South African Ambassador to Qatar HE Shirish M Soni said the visit by this team and their matches against various clubs in Qatar would be a good way of building a stronger relationship between the two countries. The envoy reiterated that the team has had a wonderful time and urged the young footballers to continually focus on building and strengthening the good side and to always be disciplined.
"Always strive to strengthen the camp of good," the envoy said.
The envoy's wife, Ruweida Soni, said that people ought to be always grateful. She said,"We groom our children in various ways. One side of grooming should be to have gratitude." One can be very disciplined, practise, and become a great sportsman, but if someone doesn't have gratitude, it comes to naught.
"Gratitude can be the ladder that will take you to the level where you experience magic beyond magic," she said.
Cape Flats Football Academy CEO Ashraf Allie said the team had been practising for the past 18 months. The players come from different clubs and areas but a majority of them come from an area called Cape Flats.
"The Cape Flats had a divided past and there are many challenges because of the negativity associated with the area. Therefore, we wanted to do something positive associated with this name. Therefore, it is a community project," he said.
Giving advice to those aspiring to start or manage a club, Alie said,"If your intention is proper and right, then you must do it with passion. For us, the main intention was to bring change to the community with this team."
Cape Flats Football Academy Professional Head Coach Abdul Maliek Cassiem said when they started selecting the team, it was difficult to get a group of children from different areas and from different football clubs."People have different backgrounds and mentalities, so it was difficult. We spent the first few months to get the players on the same plane — everybody thinking the same and following the rules," he said.
Many of them came from clubs that had no rules whatsoever.
Maliek said that as a professional coach, it's not all about football but changing the boys."They are going back to their communities as role models. Those who had bad habits have given them up and their parents and the community will look up to them. We are not just making them professional footballers but making them change their lives totally. Now, they will open doors for other people in their communities."
Seventeen-year-old Kerwin Higgins, who is the captain of the team, said he feels honoured to be able to guide the team."I tell them they have to do the proper thing not only on the field but off it as well."
According to him, no duty comes without its challenges, but the main challenge he has is to deal with the attitude of the players.
Higgins said this was the first time he was playing outside South Africa."I feel really blessed. There are many children like us waiting for this kind of an opportunity but they have not got it."
The young footballers agreed that they would not just be football players but also act as role models in their communities once they go back to South Africa.
Nando's, a South African franchise under Oryx Group for Food and Services, sponsored the team. Oryx Group for Food and Services COO Francois Rousseau said,"We would like to promote sports in general and this football opportunity is linked to what we wanted to do."
Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Sponsorship Senior Specialist Bradley Dale Habana said that during the stay, the group will have a chance to know what the Supreme Committee does."I lived in Cape Town and I understand what history is. By supporting these boys, more and more people will have an opportunity to see the talents that these boys have."
