Vuyolwethu Sontsonga grew up loving soccer but his family struggled to afford soccer boots and he had to play barefoot, so when he grew up he started a soccer team.
Sontsonga is the coach and co-ordinator of Eleven Destroyers Football Club in Bathurst, which has become a second home to many children in the area, who even get help with homework.
The 31-year-old, who attended Bathurst’s Velile Senior Secondary, juggles being a coach with his grass-cutting business which sometimes contributes to the needs of the children in the area.
He started his football team with 12 players in 2016, saying he did not want them to go through the same struggles he had experienced.
He also wanted to help keep them off the streets so they did not become victims of crime — or turn into criminals themselves.
Eight years later, more than 50 children leave school every day and go straight to Sontsonga for homework and practise.
“I started coaching soccer because I saw many children had nothing to do after school and I decided to keep them active by training them and organising local soccer matches,” he said.
“I now have 56 young children in our team. Last year, I started girls’ soccer.
“When we started, we had no soccer kits, but through the help of a nonprofit organisation from the US, we now have beautiful soccer kits.”
Sontsonga said the team had shared many wonderful moments.
“We had some outstanding achievements, such as one of our soccer players getting selected by Chippa United to play for their academy side.”
He said he was proud to be able to restore the dignity of the pupils.
“Seeing the smiles on the faces of these children when we go to training or matches motivates me a lot.
“And also seeing their joy when I help them with donations, school shoes and other things, pushes me to do better.
“The hard work they put in also fuels me as their coach.
“The young me struggled to get soccer boots and I never went to play outside of Bathurst, so I made sure that these kids never experienced what I’ve been through.”
Sontsonga said as a coach, he was surrounded by a group of young people who were go-getters.
“I have a group of highly passionate and motivated youngsters who are showing much potential to go on and become recognised as future professional players.
“I am not only coaching them skills on the field but also coaching them about life skills so that they do not fall into bad habits as they grow up.
“There are many distractions, and so it is vitally important to educate the youth in our township so they can make the right decisions.
“I’m building future leaders who will make a meaningful contribution to the community and country.
“There are so many young people and community members who look up to me as their role model and that really pushes me.
“I believe young people need strong role models to become successful in their lives,” he said.
“We have our training after school every day, and we play matches every weekend.
“Our sponsors are members of the Bathurst community, including local businesses and some people in the village.
“They help with raising money for tournaments.
“We also have Vetpaw, a nonprofit organisation from the US that helps us with funds for tournaments in surrounding towns.
“They also help us with school shoes for the needy kids in our team.
“The local farmers have also helped us buy tracksuits and soccer kits for the kids.”
Sontsonga was nominated by artist Tori Stowe, who said Sontsonga had made a huge impact in the historic farming hamlet near Port Alfred.
“Vuyo arranges for the kids to do things for the community, like street cleanups, and in exchange the community helps to support the kids,” Stowe said.
“Vuyo and his team have done a lot to bring together the historically divided communities of Bathurst and Nolukhanyo informal settlement.
“He inspires us all,” she said.
DispatchLIVE
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