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Khumbe Gunners FC, which keeps local boys from the streets during school holidays and weekends.

A game of soccer is their way out of boredom

 

School holidays and weekends are those days when boys might be tempted into becoming irresponsible.

A group of boys from Khumbe Lwamondo have decided to use their free time profitably and in a responsible manner. The boys, whose ages range from 12 to 17 years, have started a soccer team that keeps them busy in their spare time.

Khumbe Gunners were formed last year and, despite the odds, the club is doing well, beating many of their rivals during matches. The team does not have formal kit and most of the players play barefoot, but what keeps them together is the love of the game.

Their practices are daily, and weekends are sometimes used for matches - mostly home matches as they cannot afford transport to take them to other villages to honour matches.

Team captain Lutendo Rathogwa (16) said some boys were becoming a big problem at their homes and in their community during school holidays, with some stealing and doing many silly things. He said some were even beginning to indulge in drugs and alcohol out of boredom and frustration.

"As concerned young boys we sat down and thought of ways of killing time, and soccer was the immediate solution as there are no entertainment facilities in our village. We started here and there with nothing but a soccer ball.  We were a very small number, but today we are many as more and more boys realize the importance of participating in sports," he said.

Rathogwa further said that, despite the challenges of their parents' not working and not even being able to afford kit, they were determined to make it one day in the professional ranks. "We desperately need help as there is a lot of talent here which, if not supported, will go to waste. Some of our boys can play for bigger teams if properly nurtured," he said.

“What we need is help from the community for us to get a kit and also transport money for away games," he said

Sport - Date: 05 August 2018

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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