MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH FOOTBALL

Running a soccer club is not only about playing soccer and going to practise everyday. I am sure that almost every club has a constitution which clearly highlights the vision and mission of that particular club. The biggest question though, is how many clubs really stick and remind themselves about their vision and mission.

Peace Lovers FC, however, is a club that is led by their constitution and our own philosophies about football and how to develop good players. This theory of a good player is the one that needs to be challenged. To many people and coaches, a good player is someone who delivers in his role. For example if you are a striker and you score goals then your are a good player.

At Peace Lovers, we don't fully agree with this definition of a good player. In our philosophy a good player is someone who sticks to values and discipline of football. Having discipline in football is to listen to coaches instructions and serve the values of your team. Yes, football is about talent and that is sometimes a problem because many coaches are seduced by this raw talent in football.

As a manager and a coach, I believe that we need to move pass this assessment of a good player and assess players out of the field. Teach values and speak a non-football language with your players at times. Non-football conversations are the ones that put you in uncomfortable spaces, because you have to share about your own life and have them sharing about themselves too. This is how you will understand you players better.

Looking at personal values and assessing players out of the field are good ways of developing good players in any sport not just football.

Importance of Pledges in Football

Top picture- Zolisa Tungwana (Captain) leading the drill at the training
View of Cape Town

Peace Lovers FC at training in Khulani High School

There are so many issues that attack our communities for example, Women abuse is the huge thing in our communities. Peace Lovers Football Club pledges against this. " We at Peace Lovers FC recognize that, women are the base and children the future of our society, that violence against women and children is like waging a war on ourselves as a nation. We therefore pledge, To be vocal and speak out against violence targeted at women and children, to be examplary through our deeds and serve as role models, to be supportive to women and children affected by violence.

Like manners once did, violence is now shaping and obsessing ouor society. If we do not stop it, it will stop us, and our children will have a bleak future.

Football and Leadership

So many people think Football is just for fun. I beg to differ in that regard. I started running soccer at my Township in trying to engage young people with something they love and football is very simple to run, you need just a ball and then you can unite nations through that 1 ball. Langa Township is a township where many young people get destructed very easily by unhealthy things such as drugs and gangsterism.

Having a Soccer Club at Langa Township has been a way of saying NO to drugs and NO to gangsterism by bringing something that will show the young children a purpose to life.
The are so many Leadership roles in Football, for example the team Captain that role is about growing a good leader that can work with people in and off the field. Vice Captainancy is another leadership role in football.

I believe that as a Manager or Coach you need to emphasise a lot in those small roles and show your players the bigger picture. Peace Lovers FC is a one of the teams that links Football and Leadership and put a lot of emphasis in the FIFA Fair play which teachers respect and unselfishness.