Intense excitement as Pitso Mosimane’s coaches head to Curro. Excitement has been at fever pitch at two Curro schools, after coaches from the internationally acclaimed Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools (PMSS) programme descended onto their soccer fields, in their quest to Create the Player of Tomorrow. Learners at Curro’s Northern Academy in Polokwane and Curro Meridian Cosmo City in Randburg have been chosen to pilot the launch of Mosimane’s aptly titled ‘the beautiful game’. As part of the programme, every learner in each school will receive tailored soccer training from some of the best youth development coaches, during their usual PE lessons.

Over the next few months, they will also have the opportunity to play several games, and show off their newly acquired skills in under 11 to under 17 soccer teams for both girls and boys. And if that wasn’t enough, the learners can also look forward to being personally trained by the soccer icon himself, when he returns from the middle east later this year. “Curro has always placed great emphasis on fostering future sporting talents, and we are incredibly excited to have partnered with PMSS and a sporting stalwart like Pitso Mosimane. His mission of producing confident, experienced, and well-rounded individuals capable of distinction both on and off the pitch strongly aligns with ours. I really do believe that this programme will give our learners a once in a lifetime chance to gain invaluable knowledge and hone their skills, and discipline to an international level,” says Fergus Sampson, Business Executive for Meridian Schools at Curro Holdings.

Coach Mahlatsi Mabusela and Dumisani Mlongo

To kickstart things, the team of federation-accredited football coaches from PMSS arrived at each school last week, for what was initially an insight into how the programme will work in the coming weeks. However, after experiencing the passion and eagerness of the learners, it swiftly developed into an insightful and practical training session.

Soccer’s crème de la crème 

Even though ‘the beautiful game’ programme only officially launched at Meridian Cosmo City on 30 January 2023 and is still to be launched at Curro’s Northern Academy on the 6 February, anticipation amongst learners in both schools, has understandably, been intense.

Curro is the country’s very first school group to join forces with the  South African soccer legend in his bid to help guide young African players between the ages of 6 and 18 become technically, intellectually, and socially equipped to succeed in the competitive world of professional football.

From the left to right_ Lerato Mahapa, Palesa Khanzi, Sphiwe Msane, Sibabalo Jokani, Denga Ndichene

To comply with the high standards prescribed by PMSS, the independent school group has already made substantial investments; purchasing the necessary soccer equipment for the practice sessions. They are also in the process of upgrading the soccer facilities at each school, specifically focussing on levelling pitches, and improving drainage and demarcations. As the already popular programme progresses, it is expected to be scaled to other Curro schools across the country.

Luyanda Lisijana