Download PDFLocal soccer teams are being recognised and supported in the community of KwaThema (a township on the Eastrand of Gauteng). Football tournaments have been happening in KwaThema every year and they have shown the great skill from the young stars and their coaches.
Tshepiso Paul Football Club (TPL) is one of the popular soccer teams in the area. It was established in 2018, and has been playing and gaining recognition ever since. Tshepiso Paul is the name of player of TPL who passed on in 2018. Before the team was named after him, it was known as Eastern Gunners.
Kagiso Magosi, a young 29-year-old man from White City (a location in KwaThema), is known as ‘Coach’ to the kids he trains. He is the founder and coach of
TPL. Kagiso has been playing football from a young age, which he learnt from his late father, Simon Mphuthi. Mphuthi was a soccer player who played with legendary Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Innocent Mayoyo and had a team of his own.
When the team started, they only had two balls, no kit, no sponsors and no resources but through their dedication and hard work they managed to get noticed by local businesspeople and parents of the dedicated and talented players.
Kagiso is a passionate young man so he never gave up. “Having a skill and talent is very important, so it gives me great joy to see these boys having fun and being competitive,” said Kagiso.
TPL has been playing for and qualifying in tournaments since it was established. In 2019 they won a League and the Ayoba Regional League Tournament, and they were also finalists in both editions of the James Moloto Tournament in the 2019/2020 games played in KwaThema last year. Many players in the tournament won themselves medals and trophies – one got for Player of the Tournament and one for Top Goal Scorer, among other awards.
The team practices once a week and the players are still dedicated and wishing for more medals and trophies.
This article was submitted on 9 March 2021. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
