Coaches launch football nursery

MASERU – Six top-flight coaches have come together to start a football academy that will enrol kids from as young as five-years-old.

The New Star Soccer Academy will be based in Maseru and is the brainchild of former Likhopo and Lesotho Under-17 coach Halemakale Mahlaha.

If everything goes according to plan, the academy aims to launch in the first week of September and Mahlaha has roped in five other coaches to help in the project, namely Mosito Matela, Mohaila Letseka, Thabile Secker, Neo Mokemane and Isaiah Mosala who will be the goalkeeper coaches.

Speaking to thepost this week, Mahlaha said they are currently developing the academy’s profile so they can register with the Maseru District Football Association (DIFA) and Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) in order to get an operating certificate.

Mahlaha also intends to register the New Star Soccer Academy with the Law Office.

“Our aim is to develop kids at a young age in football and educate them about life in general. We will train children in different age categories,” he said.

Mahlaha has a long history of grooming young talent from his time coaching top clubs such as Lioli and Matlama to his stint leading Lesotho’s national youth teams.

He said he began thinking about introducing a programme to train kids back in 2019 and he recently started approaching several coaches who were receptive to his idea.

“There will be a fee that we will be asking from parents to cover expenses because right now we are doing things from our own pockets,” Mahlaha said.

“We must have equipment, for example, balls for different ages and we are asking for help from companies,” he added.

Mahlaha has put together a strong team of coaches to drive the project. For example, Secker is a former league winning coach with Matlama, Letseka is a former Youth Development Officer for the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) and was also head coach of Limkokwing University while Matela has coached some of the country’s biggest teams including Bantu.

Mahlaha said the academy is still looking for grounds to use that are safe for kids.

Mahlaha would not reveal much more about the programme because he said they are still working to make their academy dream come true. He said once they are up and running, they will reveal more about their plans.

Several football aficionados have come on board to support this academy, including Emisang Tšosane and former Matlama president Ikhetheleng Matabane who will be the administrators running the academy.

The academy will also have two medical personnel in Matamane Makhobalo and Limakatso Makhoali.

In addition, the New Star Academy is expecting to have girls enrolling and is still looking for a coach for the girls’ team as well.

Mahlaha said the coaches affiliated with the academy will be allowed to take up jobs in the Vodacom Premier League or A-Division if they receive offers.

Tlalane Phahla