Talent search continues
FOOTBALL The African Must Rise Initiative (AMAI) is levelling up the football game in Botswana by offering out-of-school players a sustainable path towards career success. Collaborating with the Showcase Football Scouts of Madrid, Spain, AMAI is bringing in top-notch coaches to scout for fresh talent. This weekend, the dynamic duo will be at New Era College, hunting for the next generation of football stars from AMAI's 125-player strong cluster.
This opportunity is for young players between the age of 16 and 23 years to showcase their football potential before the Spanish coaches and hopefully be selected for more trials with seven different Spanish teams in Spain: Real Betis, Celta De vigo, Rayo Vallecano from Laliga and Real Oviedo, Albacete Balompie, Rayo Majandahonda and Cultural Leonesa from second and third division respectively.
The current AMAI football clusters are a blend of club players and independent ballers, all united by their passion for the game. These young players are seen as ambassadors for change in their communities, with the potential to bring about positive impact if given the right resources and support. In anticipation of the trials, they've been sweating it out at New Era College, honing their skills and grinding toward greatness.
Briefing the media this week, AMAI Director for Communications and outreach, Tumisang Keitseng announced a collaboration with a Spanish soccer talent scouting organization, with the goal of sending all 125 players to participate in trials in Madrid. To accomplish this, they are seeking financial support to cover the costs of travel and participation. The director is confident that with the right funding, this ambitious undertaking can be realized.
“We are appealing to the general public, corporate leaders, and all institutions to contribute financially towards this endeavour. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to those who have been supporting us with energy drinks, lunch, and refreshments during the past six months of training for our players. We highly appreciate their support and contribution to our mission,” Keitseng stated.
She further stated that the AMAI’s overriding mission is to wake up sleeping talent in young boys and girls and nurture it into an income generating activity. “We need to appreciate that each one of these youth were born with at least one talent, which must be rediscovered, with well-conceived and designed tools, we drive rediscovered talent higher as a career and professional occupation for both local and the international marketplace,” she said.
She expressed that they have been conducting training sessions led by a local coach, Outlule Lele Gabashe, with the aim of preparing the players for the trials. Their ultimate goal is to see as many players as possible selected for the main trial, and as such, they have incorporated motivational sessions to equip the boys with the right mindset for a professional football career.