Soccer
Succeeding together
Our various soccer teams, ranging from Under 10s to Adult leagues, come together as Young Stars Football Club. We are proudly affiliated with Two Oceans LFA.
Soccer is objectively the most popular sport in the world, perhaps because it is so simple to play. All that is needed is a soccer ball or, failing that, a ball of some fashion: Masiphumelele kids frequently use basketballs and tennis balls to enjoy the beautiful game on the streets.
Soccer, and team sports in general, have a hugely positive impact on a child’s personality. Team sports teach us how to cooperate with individuals, learning to work together effectively to achieve a desired outcome. No soccer player in the world, not even the kids’ most glorified idols, can beat an entire opposing team on their own. Just as we need our friends and family to support us in our personal life, we need our teammates to support us during a match.
International cooperations
CTYD depends highly on donations, though we are working hard to reduce this dependency. Our teams often play with mismatched kits and boots, but this does not concern the kids; they are grateful simply for the opportunity to play.
With the help of our longtime friend and supporter, Franz Bruckner, the SG Weilimdorf in Germany has generously equipped us with some kits for out teams. Additionally, Jul Lührs and his home team in Germany, TSG Kirchberg, also provide our teams with jerseys whenever they can. It is supporters such as these which transform CTYD and enable the growth of Young Stars FC.
Training and Matches
In sports, progress can only be made by overcoming challenges. In Masiphumelele, we have one field for all of our training sessions and matches. The name of the field is ‘Makhaya ngokhu’ which is the isiXhosa translation of ‘homes of now‘. A fire in late 2020 saw many families lose everything. As such, our playing field is now home to the displaced residents.
Every weekend since the fire, Young Stars FC has visited neighbouring communities such as Ocean View, Noordhoek, or Fish Hoek to take part in match days. This has been a great opportunity for our teams to meet new people and practice their skills against new teams. Transport for an entire team, however, is expensive, and will soon become unsustainable as a result.
Our training sessions now take place on small pitch, shared with other teams, in the bush behind Masiphumelele. Training in winter is impossible due to flooding, and travelling to other neighbourhoods will only incur additional transport expenses. Players, parents, and coaches are all dreaming of proper housing for the displaced residents, and a permanent training space for our teams.
