• Our Story

  • How we do it

  • Testimony

  • Promo video

 Our Story

We started in 2018 on a small field in the township with little resources but with a dream to make a difference in young people’s life so they become the next generation of leaders that can make a lasting difference in their community and their country.

This has grown into what we know today as HSA or Hoopstad Sport Academy. Our vision is still the same as then. This is to make a lasting impact in the community through sports and mentoring by raising up young men and women to understand their identity in Christ, be servant leaders, and share the power of the Gospel everywhere they go.

Today we are able to host the kids in a safe location where we can play, mentor without being disturbed, give them food after practice, clothes to practice in and a positive environment to start thriving.

Our hope is to continue to grow and reach more young people in our community and beyond with our soccer project. We are starting with a netball project in 2022 to reach young girls and give them to same chances as to our boys. We believe these kids are the next generation of leaders to make a difference in their community’s and help reach many others outside of the academy.

Our mission is to disciple, inspire, and raise up leaders who imitate Christ in Hoopstad/Tikwana,
South Africa.

Sport is a powerful tool that we can use. It develops character, connects people, give challenges and the opportunity to overcome those challenges, anything from life you can teach through the power of sport and coaching. Using soccer and netball gives us a low threshold to start working with young kids and through sport we can develop them to become the best they can be, and build a relationship from where we can guide the children who play at the academy.

We try to impact our kids on different levels and in different environments find out in the pull down menu about how we try to make the difference.

  • Our process starts from day 1 when the players come in for the first time. Immediately we try to raise the standard from what the kids are used to here in South Africa.
    We make clear that we expect them to come on time and to every practice, that they have to do well on and off the field so passing school is a must, that everything in the academy is earned not given and that we want them to succeed in life not just in soccer.
    Try-outs for players take multiple weeks so that it gives us a time to get a good insight into the players skills and character. Its a long process but when the players make the team it gives them a sense of accomplishment cause it wasn’t easy but they made it.

  • In sport like in life, their is going to be success and disappointment. And this gives us a chance to develop character. to develop a strive for excellence, perseverance during hardship, setting goals and achieving them, commitment, teamwork, social skills, hard work conquers all.
    We choose to only play games against schools and don’t follow the trend of doing betting games. These bet games teaches kids gambling and are in not ideal environment. Since we expect excellence from our kids we want to provide it also, so by playing against bigger schools it challenges our kids to raise the bar for themselves.

  • We feel it is important to give back. We want to get away from a mentality of just receiving and go to a mentality of giving and serving. We encourage our kids and organise a few opportunities a year to do so. From cleaning up public areas to serving the community around them.

  • We are a disciple based ministry. We want to help the players to grow their personal relationship with God. We believe when they get to know God better, they will get to know themselves better which in turn will help them to find their purpose in life and to become thriving leaders in their community.

  • Fatherlessness is one of the biggest problems in South Africa. And us as coaches can have a huge impact on that, by being present, loving and consistent we hope to build trust with the players and have a deeper impact on the players life then just coaching sport but coaching life also.

    Study shows that: 63% of suicides come from fatherless homes,
    - 70% of juveniles in institutions come from fatherless homes,
    - 80% of rapists motivated by displaced anger come from fatherless homes,
    - 40% of all children do not live with their biological fathers,
    - 85% of children with behavioural problems come from fatherless homes,
    - 90% of homeless children come from fatherless homes,
    - 71% of children who do not finish school come from fatherless homes

  • Players who excel at the field, who show strong character values and have a mentality of serving is what we need to have as the next generation of leaders in our towns and country.

    We hope by giving our players the opportunity and resources we can inspire them to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Testimony’s

 

Ishmael Setshoho

Age: 15
Position: Goalkeeper

What is your favourite thing about HSA?
you learn about God and it teaches you to disciple someone else so they can learn everything about God.

What do you want to do after HSA?
finish school and go to university to study mechanical engineer.

What would you have done if you didn’t come to HSA?
I would have spend my time on the street probably, smoking, stealing, becoming gangsters and i wouldn’t know about God.

 

Lebazile Kulo

Interview coming soon

 

Promo video

In the video below, Kenneth explains what the academy is all about and you can hear from the players firsthand the impact the academy has on them.