Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
PLAYERS from Southern Region Division One Socccer League outfit, Talen Vision, have started planning for life after football, taking up life assurance policies after attending a life-skills workshop organised by the club last weekend.
The purpose of the workshop was to get players to appreciate expectations of them during the subsistence of their careers and prepare them for life after football.
The ambitious First Division club also invited players’ spouses and parents for the workshop.
Some of the players, who include the former Highlanders pair of Heritein Masuku and Nedrick Madeya, immediately signed up for assurance policies, laying the foundation for life after football.
“Very soon I’ll be hanging my boots and it’s good to plan for the future. I’m grateful to the club for facilitating this kind of workshop as it empowers the players, giving them ammunition to prepare for the future. It was really a life changing workshop, said Masuku, an ex-Njube Sundowns, How Mine and Bulawayo City midfielder.
Vision’s chief operating officer, Brian Moyo said they organised the workshop because his club values players’ wellbeing, on and off the field.
“I am grateful to the corporates that partnered us in this unique yet important initiative where we had a senior team workshop on life issues outside the field of play. The players had a chance to meet and interact with experts from different fields such as investing in finance, life assurance, healthcare and drug and substance abuse,” said Moyo.
Mthandazo Ndlovu, a specialist on drug and substance abuse gave a lecture on one of the biggest threats to footballers’ lives.
Ndlovu alerted the players about the dangers of drugs and alcohol not only to their careers but in their lives.
Leading clothing retail outlet, Edgars, had two representatives who spoke about the company’s products and schemes which they have introduced.
The company said they have expanded from being about trendy wear by adding life policies and medical schemes. Corporate 24 and Old Mutual, one of the leading insurance companies in the country, also presented their products to the players and their families.
There was a unique presentation by Sithembile Daka, wife of football legend Barry Daka, a former Highlanders coach.
She spoke of her years married to a footballer and coach, as well as being a parent of footballers.
Vision intends to hold a similar workshop for its developmental teams. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter