US-based player starts academy

Raymond Jaravaza Aï¿½
TAKING a leaf from the success story of Grassroots Soccer aï¿½ï¿½ a football development and HIV/Aids awareness programme aï¿½ï¿½ a United States-based footballer has founded a first of its kind soccer academy in Plumtree.

Grassroots Soccer was co-founded by former Bantu Rovers president Methembe Ndlovu and other internationally acclaimed philanthropists such as Tommy Clarke, Ethan Zohn and Kirk Friedrich.

Founded in 2002, Grassroots Socceraï¿½ï¿½s motto is: aï¿½?Using the power of soccer in the fight against HIV and AIDS.aï¿½?

Ndlovu is a former New York Cosmos player in the United States.Aï¿½ Interestingly, the man behind the new academy in Plumtree aï¿½ï¿½ Bridging Youth through Soccer (BYS) aï¿½ï¿½ Lucky Mkhosana plies his trade for New York Cosmos.

Mkhosana is in his third year at New York Cosmos having joined the team in 2015.

He was plucked from the dusty soccer fields of Plumtree when he took part in a two-day soccer tournament that had 44 players from the Matabeleland region.

aï¿½?I was scouted by Jeff Cook in 2007 when he was in the country for a junior tournament which Methembe Ndlovu also assisted in organising and I was awarded a scholarship to study in the United States at Dartmouth College and play for Kimball Union Academy,aï¿½? said Mkhosana.

After a visit to Plumtree in 2015, he witnessed an acute shortage of training equipment, poor infrastructure and lack of resources in his home town and decided to put an action plan in motion.

aï¿½?I was inspired to register Bridging Youth through Soccer academy to give young players in Plumtree opportunities by offering a soccer programme that will run all year round, complemented by a mentorship programme to assist them with scholarships to attend school in the US or play there professionally.

aï¿½?The academy will be assisted by my team New York Cosmos,aï¿½? he added.

On Sunday six teams will take part in the first edition of the Bridging Youth through Sport tournament to be held at Plumtree High School.

Marula Primary
Tshankwa Primary
Young Flying Stars
Izinyama Primary
BYS Academy
Bhagani Academy