Mtuba soccer gets a lift

THE Mtuba Football Academy (MFA) players welcomed surprise guests on Wednesday as the academy’s holiday programme kicked off with top level training from an elite squad of American soccer players.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, MFA’s holiday programme includes matches against Mtubatuba and Richards Bay teams, as well as exhibition matches against Richards Bay United.

The international contingent touched down last Monday, laden with new balls, cleats, cones and other soccer equipment which was donated to the academy.

Under guidance from the Americans, the local players started Wednesday’s training session by stretching and warming up, before getting on to dribbling practice and ball skills.

Led by Sheldon Hughes, MFA’s aim is to instill self-discipline among Mtubatuba’s children by introducing constructive competition in the form of soccer matches.

This, the academy hopes, will keep them on the straight and narrow, as well as fit and healthy.

Should a player miss three consecutive training sessions, his name is removed from the list. Apart from training sessions and matches every Saturday throughout the year, the academy organises twice yearly field trips, during which the players get to test their skills against other teams in the region.

One recent trip to Swaziland saw 90 of the academy’s players playing against Manzini Sundowns, one of Swaziland’s top teams.

Woza Soccer is an American-based soccer initiative led by Chris Kaimmer, himself a keen soccer player. His idea is for players to realise the power of learning from one another through a common interest – the love of soccer.