The GN World Classic Sports Academy in Vhembe aims to become a beacon of hope for young boys aspiring to play for professional soccer teams. The academy is based in Biaba in the Nzhelele area.
According to the academy's managing director and head coach, Mr Godfrey Nndwambi, the initiative was launched in 2022 with the aim of identifying young boys from various parts of the community and offering them life-skills education and football training.
Nndwambi, who holds a CAF coaching licence, said the academy currently catered for about 60 young players. Some of those identified and coached by the academy have already made appearances for teams such as Jomo Cosmos, which competes in the ABC Motsepe League.
"I had a dream to empower young people and turn them into great sportsmen," he said. Those ideas, infused with hard work and determination, are starting to bear fruit.
He said he would like to see most of the boys playing for local teams that compete in higher leagues, before progressing to provincial and eventually national sides. "We want to see local teams benefiting from the excellent talent at the academy," he said.
Nndwambi noted that the academy had not progressed as he had hoped, with its main challenges being funding and sponsorships. Most of their members come from disadvantaged communities and can barely afford training kits and registration fees, he said.
Despite these difficulties, he said, people still had faith in the club. "This region has a lot of talent that goes to waste because it cannot be nurtured due to a lack of funds. Soccer is a rewarding sport, and many people from this area could be making a well-paid career from it if properly guided and trained," he said.