Soccer
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and a big deal in South Africa, perhaps because it is so easy to play. All that is needed is a ball, but other things work as well. Masiphumelele kids use their imagination and on the streets, even a tennis ball works. Coach Thomas Youth Development soccer teams come together as Young Stars Football Club.
Soccer, and team sports in general, have a positive impact on a kid’s personality and identity for a lifetime. Team sports teach us how to cooperate as individuals in a group and help us learn to deal with the feelings of defeat. There is no soccer player in the world who can beat a whole team on their own. We rely on our friends in our personal life, just as we need teammates during the match. Individuals in a team also learn to take responsibility for their actions and show courage when needed for the benefit of everyone.
International cooperations
At Coach Thomas Youth Development we depend highly on donations. Even though we work on reducing this dependency, we have not reached this goal yet. This is why you might see our teams on the field in mismatched kits. With the help of our supporter, Franz Bruckner, the SG Weilimdorf in Germany has equipped us with a few kits. Jul Lührs and his home team in Germany, TSG Kirchberg, also support our kids with kits and jerseys from time to time.
Training and Matches
In sports, progress usually involves facing new challenges. In our community Masiphumelele (IsiXhosa for “Let us succeed”), we have one field for weekend matches and training during the week. It is called Makhaya ngokhu which means “homes of now”. Transport is expensive for a whole team, which means Young Stars FC usually plays against other teams from Masiphumelele, but whenever the opportunity arises, we play friendly games in nearby communities. All the amateur teams who compete with Young Stars FC, are affiliated with Two Oceans LFA – SAFA Cape Town.
Due to a fire in 2020, where many families lost everything, our playing field is now home to displaced residents. Shacks, the commonplace make-shift structures made out of wood and metal sheets, now occupy the field which Young Stars FC has called home for so long.
Every weekend since the fire, Youg Stars FC visits neighboring communities such as Ocean View, Noordhoek, or Fish Hoek to take part in match days. Training now happens on a small pitch, shared with other teams, in the bush behind Masiphumelele. Training in winter is impossible due to flooding caused by rain, and traveling to other neighborhoods on match days incurs additional transport expenses. Players, parents, and coaches are dreaming of a new field or proper houses for the people who have settled at Makhaya ngokhu.
Player and Coach – Justin Bailey
Justin is 20 years old and grew up in a small Township called Masiphumelele. At the age of five, he fell in love with soccer and played for Coach Thomas Youth Development until he turned 15. At this age, he discovered his interest in coaching, taking a huge step from being a player on the field to being on the sidelines alongside the other coaches.
“I am proud of the impact that we make at CTYD. Even though we have been through tough times, I will not give up. In the future, I want to see CYTD being out there, not only in our community but in our city and across the country. For us to achieve this, we are encouraging the children of Masiphumelele to new heights every day.”
Justin is a key member of Coach Thomas Youth Development and plays a vital role in its success. As well as his soccer coaching role, he has been a licensed swimming coach since 2023.