Day six ended with everyone heaping praises on the effortless skill displayed by a dimunitive eleven year old who goes by the name of Thapelo Makuba (pictured below), and hails from a little-known township in Germiston, called Dikatole.
This little fellow was a revelation to all who watched, and amazed everyone gathered at the stadium with the potential he exhibited. His enjoyment of the game and unaffected passion for it, had everyone’s faces light up at the sight of someone who clearly has a deep love for soccer.
I caught up with Thapelo later during the day and learned that he lives with his “Gogo” (grandmother), and mom, is moving on to grade four next year, and would like to “play soccer very well.” I interpreted this to mean that he would like to use the soccer 4 children experience to hone his latent skills in the game.
His childlike enthusiasm, when asked what he loves doing, was infectious, and I was taken back to a time when I could dream, and when everything seemed within my grasp.The obvious answer to that question was, “Learning and playing football.”
This response reiterates the core of the media briefing Dr. Danny Jordaan (Local Organising Committee CEO for the 2010 World Cup, and Vice President of SAFA) impressed upon all who were present, which is that too few professional South African footballers focus on education, and become burdens to society in the twilight of their careers.
Thapelo, however, aspires to all that we expect our sports personalities to be, which is that they strengthen his dreams of stardom in the sporting arena with a sound education. This fits hand in glove with Dr. Jordaan’s call to our professional players to always have something to fall back on once the glory of representing South Africa professionally has faded.
As I speak to him, he looks longingly at a group of boys playing a friendly 3-a-side game, and I realise that the game is beckoning him. I release him, and congratulate him on his performance on arguably, one of the biggest and best stadiums South Africa has to offer.
He shrugs his shoulders at the compliments, and saunters off with hardly a backward glance, eager to rejoin his friends in playing the game which fuels him each day to soar above his situation, and his daring to dream the dream.
Martin Deacon, CEO of turn the tide 4 children, was visibly impressed, and had the following to say, “I was a little afraid of letting the little guy play, in case he hurt himself.” His fears were unwarranted, as little Thapelo shone on the day, and I am very privileged to have witnessed raw talent like that in action.
Thapelo’s display is what the initiative aims to achieve, and he will undoubtedly be revisiting the soccer camp to nurture his talent.
For further information on how to become part of this initiative, or to donate your time, equipment or funds, please click here.