Coaches I’ve worked with: I owe him a lot

I’m breaking away from the trend this week because I’m going to talk about someone who saw me juggling the ball at Orlando Stadium and recruited me to the Kaizer Chiefs youth development. I’m talking about none other than Sam Motaung! I owe him a lot and appreciate everything this man has done for me. He spotted me juggling the ball during half-time of a Chiefs game and spoke to my dad about me joining the team’s academy. I must say, my dad had no problem with it, although I could feel that Bro Sam believed in me more than my dad at that point. I couldn’t believe it when I arrived for training for the first time, on a Tuesday, and that’s when my life changed completely. This is the man who started it all and saw something in me that others didn’t see. He kept on telling my father I had potential, until my dad agreed to allow me to join the team. I joined the Chiefs U15 team and Bro Sam would give us a lift in his car, about 12 players would be packed like sardines in his car. We used to play two games a day and he would transport us all the time. I think he was working at a bakery because every Sunday he would bring us Chelsea buns and buy us pints of milk, out of his own pocket without being helped by anyone. He took care of us and he’s always been such a humble and kind-hearted man. I must say, sometimes it is people we least expect to influence our lives that make a huge difference. That

man is the one who made me who and what I am today. We’d play at 10h00 and wait under a tree for our next game at 15h00 and this man would be sitting with us, making sure we were okay and fed. A number of my former teammates can attest to what I’m saying about that man because they also experienced the same thing from him. I’m so grateful and appreciative for everything he has done for me and the club. I have thanked him in person already for all he’s done for me and felt I also had to do it on this platform. Sam Motaung is the man who started it all and saw something in me that no one else saw.