One or two of the players who will be part of the national soccer team to represent South African in the 2010 World Cup Tournament will be from the Olifantshoek-based Ten Stars Football Academy.

That is, if the words of the founder for the academy, Mr Michael Ngobeni, is anything to go by.  After realizing that children as young as 12 keep themselves busy by engaging in criminal activities after school, Ngobeni felt that establishing a football academy in the area would be the best remedy.

It was in January this year that Ngobeni, a teacher at the Pfumelani Primary School, shared the idea with four of his friends, Robert Mathe, Jerry Manganyi, John Mkhari and Solly Ngobeni. What came out of their meeting was the establishment of the Ten Stars Football Academy.

The academy is so far boosting three levels, U/12, U/14 and U/17. Although the academy is currently battling to acquire sponsorship, they already have something to be proud of. Their U/17 team represented them well in two tournaments that were staged in Polokwane recently.

The first one was staged at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, May 10. Although they were competing with the long-established football academies in the likes of The Meridian Academy and Laduuma Academy, Ten Stars shocked everybody when they emerged the champions.