Bhasera, Chipezeze prepare for life after football
ZIMBABWE international football players Onismor Bhasera and Elvis Chipezeze have started planning for their retirement after graduating from a business management school in Pretoria, South Africa, on Monday.
Bhasera, who was a key figure of the Warriors squad that did duty in the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon early this year, plies his trade with South African Premiership side Super Sport United while goalkeeper Chipezeze, who also played in the AFCON in 2019, plays for lower division team Magesi in the same country.
The Zimbabweans were part of the footballers who graduated with certificates after completing the 2022 PSL Player Transition Programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg.
Some of the top stars who also graduated from GIBS are legendary goalkeeper Itumaleng Khune, Innocent Maela, Linda Mntambo, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Vincent Pule and Kennedy Mweene.
According to a South African publication, Far Post, the course was designed by the PSL in partnership with MultiChoice and GIBS to empower and equip DStv Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship players with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to retire in a better position to find careers off the field.
GIBS, in association with PSL and Multichoice, introduced the Player Transition Programme in January with a focus on players between the ages of 28 and 35. The programme ran from January 2022 until June 2022 with Chipezeze and Bhasera being part of the class.
The South African Premier Soccer League hailed the programme.
“The programme will prepare these players for the reality of retirement from playing professional sport, empowering them to make a meaningful impact in the world and to leave a legacy.
“More often than not, South African footballers retire poor after their heydays. The likes of Mbulelo Mabizela, Lerato Chabangu, Benedict Vilakazi and Thembinkosi “Terror” Fanteni fell on hard times after hanging their boots.
“Congratulations to the 2022 PSL Player Transition Programme graduates who were honoured earlier today (on Monday) at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg,” reads the PSL statement.
“The course was introduced earlier this year by PSL and MultiChoice GRP and was specifically designed by GIBS to equip and empower PSL players with the necessary knowledge and skills to find careers off the field after they retire.”
GIBS are responsible for creating and updating an online educational platform, tutoring, and developing the framework for the on boarding and training of participants.
It’s a learning environment that considers the demands of the training and competition programme of the players.
Participants underwent four modules including business fundamentals, information technology, financial management and leadership as well as electives that included Coach Education, Project Management, Facility Management, Business Innovation, Media Officers, Social Entrepreneurship, Merchandise Management and Event Management.
Bhasera and Chipezeze are shining examples when it comes to preparing for life after hanging the boots. Unlike several of their peers who opt for coaching, the pair see life from the other side and they have plaudits for their efforts, especially given that a lot of players (in Zimbabwe) lead paupers’ lives after retirement.