Video: Academy Fundraiser

What an amazing night!  You gotta watch and enjoy the celebration.  And then you MUST share it with others!

Cheers, Casey


Ubuntu Football Academy from VECTOR COLLECTIVE on Vimeo.

Beach Soccer Anybody?

So all of the schools just got out for the Holidays. Unlike schools back home, the school year in South Africa ends in December and the new one starts in January. Ubuntu also gives the boys a month break from Academy practice which gives them lots of free time. So I figured, what better to do than to pick up 5 of the Ubuntu boys from Ocean View and take them to play soccer on the beach. No official start time, no rules, no fitness, no drills, JUST soccer on the beach. We all piled into the car and drove to Longbeach which is right down the road. It was super windy which made our time even funnier. We set up two shoes for the goals, used a soccer ball from the trunk and had ourselves a good ole time. It's just fun to be hanging out with the Ubuntu boys I've gotten to know over the soccer season, outside of that Ubuntu Academy context. I get to see more of their personalities which I love. They cut up all the time and are just a fun group to hang out with.

After soccer on the beach we swung by Casey's house. Enjoyed ourselves some popsicles and then headed down the road to Compass Bakery to split some sweet treats. It was just a good afternoon. I think it's important to have this time just to cut up and enjoy life over the break, especially outside of the Academy soccer context. These are guys I'll work really closely with this coming year with the eventful Ubuntu Academy season ahead so it's great that I get to continue to build our relationships now while there's no official soccer going on.

Looking forward to getting up with more of the Ubuntu boys over this break,

Austin

School Shopping

Growing up, did everyone not enjoy going shopping for new school supplies and if you were lucky enough, new clothes for the school year? Maybe that was just me?..Regardless, this past week I took Chadley, one of the Ubuntu Academy boys, and his mother Desiree to Silvermine Academy to do their school clothes shopping. While Silvermine Academy is a private high school and requires the students to wear uniforms, all of the high schools and primary schools in South Africa (private or public) require the students to wear school uniforms. Quite a big difference than back home in the U.S.

What's neat about Silvermine Academy is that the Principal of the school, the backbone of all school operations, is incredibly passionate about putting students in environments that suit their learning ability best. They do tests with all the students to find their best style of learning and where they are weak learning wise so that they can target each students' best learning style. They're very far ahead of the rest of the game. The amazing part though, is that so many of the Ubuntu boys like Chadley who are going to Silvermine Academy next year, are coming from schools where the schooling conditions are very poor.  Chadley's mother told me that the school he was coming has roughly 50 students in each class. Yes, 1 teacher per 50 students. So to come from a schooling situation like that and to be put in a classroom with 15-20 bright students, led by a teacher who is passionate about educating their students, really is amazing. To think that until Ubuntu walked into Chadley's life, Chadley would have just attended Steenberg high school (an environment that's very hard to excel in). As Desiree and I talked in the car it was very obvious she was elated for her son to be coming to Silvermine Academy next year. Especially as a parent coming from a rougher area like Steenberg, to see your son have an opportunity like this, to truly further himself and be set a part from so many in Steenberg means so much. Kids from areas like Steenberg just don't have opportunities like this. So to see Ubuntu provide this kind of opportunity for these boys is something really special.

One of the things that excites me the most is that Chadley is going to be one of the boys who does really well at his new school. At least that's what I believe. Chadley just has this warmth and happiness about him that is contagious to others. I swear, he has this Hollywood smile too which cracks me up. Chadley was the Head-Boy (kind of like getting chosen to be class president, but by the staff) of his grade at his previous school (Floreat Primary) so hopefully that will give him some confidence going into the new year as well.

That Hollywood Smile

I had a great time taking Chadley and his mother to their new school though. I know it will only become more and more exciting as we get closer to the new year and a brand new, and very big, chapter of their life begins. What I'm really excited about though is that I'll be here for the start of it all!

Hoping this post finds you well,

Austin

Ubuntu Update- Good Vibes

Intern Extraordinaire, Austin Dietz, will be blogging about once-a-week to give you a unique perspective in what is happening around Ubuntu Sports Outreach and the Ubuntu Football Academy.  It will be a unique look into how he is seeing what is happening, but also what it looks and feels to be with us as an intern/volunteer.  Hope you enjoy!

Hey everyone,
I'm happy to report some good news. As you've heard, there have been 4 new additions to the Ubuntu family. Two of the four boys (Lutho and Sinethemba) had been working closely with the Academy boys all year so they're already quite connected with the group. The other two boys however, Eric and Wandile, didn't know any of the Ubuntu boys prior to their invitation to join the Academy. So then there was this big question. How were the current Ubuntu boys going to receive Eric and Wandile into the family? If they didn't care for them, it would undoubtedly make the years to come much tougher as a team.
Well, you can stop holding your breath! The good news is that the boys have been getting along GREAT. To be honest, I don't know how much better they could be getting along. They've already given Wandile (the one from Philippi) a nick name that the whole team calls him and they always inquire about Eric's whereabouts if he can't make it to practice. Both Eric and Wandile are very talented technically and because they can "skill" the other players with the ball, they're embraced even more by the Ubuntu boys. For whatever reason, South Africa is all about "skilling" the other guy with the ball. Sometimes, this is so much so, they don't even try to score actually goals but rather just "skill" the opponent multiple times. All this said though, it's been cool to see this group of Academy boys welcome Eric and Wandile into the Ubuntu Academy family.
This doesn't mean Eric and Wandile still don't have some warming up to do to the team though. Both boys are still a little shy, every now and then showing glimpses of their true selves. This is totally understandable though. Coming from a completely different team it can be a little intimidating to work your way into the new team. However, I'm confident within 2 months time they'll be making as many jokes as the rest of the guys and feel right at home.
Having a great time getting to know these two new Ubuntu boys more and more,
Austin

Fulfillment of a Dream

It’s with great pleasure that I announce the final “new” recruits into the Ubuntu aren’t Football Academy.  This announcement has particular warm feelings because these guys exactly new.  Lutho Tom and Sinethemba Mgwetana have been training as Fish Hoek A team players (and adopted Academy members) all season.  As we looked at players from all over the city we just decided that those players weren’t better than these 2 guys that we already had.  In addition we already knew their character.  So, we decided to take our investment in them a step further.

Lutho did a trial with us way back when we started last February, but he just wasn’t ready at the time.  But he was selected for the A team at the club and then took advantage of the opportunity to also attend the Academy practices.  As the season went along he progressed so much!  Even to the point of winning our Most Improved Award at the Club’s prize giving.  It was also impressive because we had him playing right back, which he’s never played before.  At this point we’re not even sure what his best position may be because he’s continuing to show us flashes of his potential.  So, we’ve loved watching Lutho improve, and expect so much more of it, but we’ve also loved watching his character develop.  The resolve he showed in being so committed to training this year was impressive.  But he’s showing it at school, too.  Recently he was the only boy in his grade selected by his school to apply for a prestigious scholarship to a new high school.  I was so proud when I heard that he was the ONLY boy selected.  He’s a bright kid, with great character, and loads of potential on the field; I can’t wait to see what happens.

Sinethemba showed up even later.  He is one of those players that doesn’t look super impressive in training sessions, especially if those sessions don’t involve playing.  But once we saw him play in match scenarios we moved him onto the A team and haven’t looked back.  He had a great season playing center back and led us to so many of those shutouts we had.  Just like Lutho, he took advantage of the opportunity to better himself and attended all the training sessions offered to him.  Even though his English is somewhat weak, he gets along with the other boys quite well.  When we spoke to his school recently about the possibility of him moving to and English school they thought he would do fine because he “works hard.”  I love to hear stuff like that.

So, it’s pretty exciting to invite kids into our full family that basically already were.  I guess it’s almost like when a foster child gets fully adopted.  I know the other boys will be really happy that they are in fully.  This actually stretches our numbers past our model of 8 boys per year because this will give us 9 boys that were born in 1998, but if God is leading He will provide.  So, we continue to walk in faith and ask you join us in that.

When I walked out of the house on Tuesday night to go visit Lutho’s family and invite him into the Academy I said, “Well, I gotta go, gonna go change another boy’s life.”  Obviously I was joking a little, but there was so much truth to it.  I knew that the invitation that we were about to extend was going to change the trajectory of Lutho’s life.  But it doesn’t just change his life, but the life of his family now, the family he will have in the future, his community, and eventually his nation.  We’re about exponential transformation.  Everything we do in these boys’ lives is so that they can change the face of a nation.  I’m confident it will happen.  But, WOW, what a pleasure to be part of it on this end?!  Holding the vision out there for them, trusting God to make it happen, and sitting amazed at what’s happening.  I have the best life and job ever!  I’m so humbled to be part of this great privilege and yet thankful that it’s not all up to me.

Casey

New Recruits

Throughout the year we have lost 3 players from the Academy because they couldn't handle the amount of commitment required.  So this past weekend we had 2 days of clinics to help select new members.
This time around we mostly networked with local clubs that we have either played against or scouted at some point.  The amazing thing was how willing the clubs were to share their players.  We found that the guys coaching these kids genuinely want great things for the boys and want them to take hold of excellent opportunities.  They seemed to trust us really quickly, so they brought them with expectation and pride.
The talent level at this clinic was way higher compared to what we had a year ago at similar clinics.  These boys can all play, so it made the environment competitive and challenging for the players.
The first day was just the invited kids, but on Saturday we had our current players join them.  It was fun to see the excitement within our kids as they imagined adding some really talented players to our family.  At the conclusion of the clinic on Saturday we had our boys give input individually into who they thought we should select.  The interesting and affirming thing was that they basically picked the same players that we were thinking.
We actually have only formally invited 2 players to fill the 3 spots.  We have invited a few more players to today's practice to see if they might fill the 3rd spot.  However, the 2 boys that we did choose are going to be terrific.   Eric, was born in 1998 and lives in Ottery.  He plays on the wing or in an attacking midfield role.  He's got great skills and reads the game well.  He LOVES to go forward, which we appreciate.  He's got a super-involved mom who supports him really well.

Wandile is a 1999 and lives in a really rough community called Philipi.  He's a really slick center midfielder with feathery touch who passes the ball really well.  He's going to improve our team dramatically.  He's got a great smile and an awesome Mom who really wants great things for him.  Wandile is the exact kind of kid we want to be involved with.  He's from a really downtrodden community, has amazing talent, is mostly uncoached, has a great attitude, and has been raised by a great parent.

 
Both of the boys were actually at the same club previously, Wynberg St. John's.  We are really thankful for their coach for not just allowing them to come for the clinic, but for encouraging them to take advantage of this opportunity.
I'll get some pics of the boys soon, so that you can see their great smiles.  And please pray that God would lead us to the right boy to fill the final slot.

Pumped,
Casey

My Favorite 4 Hours

I just had my favorite 4 hours in Africa so far!  What an amazing afternoon.  Today the Ubuntu Academy boys entered new territory as they went to Sun Valley/Silvermine Academy for their assessments with the principal and head of the high school.  It was such a significant experience for them and they were treated so well.

Joshua Clayton is excited about the hot dogs

When we got there they fed them a little hotdog lunch with cake and juice.  Then they went and took a math and English test.  After a break they did assessments to figure out if they have "free flow" or "blocked flow".  I'm still learning a lot about this, but it seems to make a big difference to how students learn and produce results in the classroom.  Really interesting stuff.
Their parents arrived a few hours later and Principal Keller spoke with them, introduced the school, and told them about the assessments they did.  They seemed quite interested in what the Staff were able to figure out about the boys in such short times.
After Principal Keller was done, Tauriq's grandfather spoke up and thanked us for all the work we've done to make the education possible.  Of course it's nice to hear that they recognize what an amazing opportunity this is for the boys.
The High School Leader Charlene then showed the parents around the school.  I later walked them down to the sports fields where the boys had gone to play.  We took an awesome group picture to remind us of the significance of this day.

The boys, their parents, and the coaches

As I drove away I was overwhelmed with how significant this moment is for the boys.  They, their families, and their communities will never be the same.  They will likely be the best educated person they know, with the most resolve and support to make their future all that God dreams it will be.  You can see the boys are really starting to get excited about this, when before they were scared and apprehensive.  And the parents have a sense of wonder as the wrestle with the fact that this is really true and happening.
I'm just super humbled that I'm allowed to be a part of this.  It's such a privilege!  I, too, won't be the same as I watch these boys transform.  And I really think this will only make them easier to coach.  Their confidence will go up as they have success in the classroom.  They will bring that confidence, and eagerness to learn, to the field where I'll really be able to impart stuff.  I'm so pumped!!

Cheers,
Casey