TO uplift the community of Sea Vista in St Francis Bay, community member, Matt Davis, was determined to create a safe sporting environment for the youth in the area by establishing a youth football academy.
Founder of the St Francis Bay Football Academy, Davis said that the project, which was established in 2020 and registered as a non-profit company, was aimed at keeping the children off the streets, to bring them together and to teach them discipline, as well as skills through sport.
When the football academy was established almost two years ago, the group consisted of 10 children and since then have grown to 50 children from u/13 to u/19.
Davis said they had employed two football coaches from the local community, who train the children three times a week, at the field opposite the Caltex Petrol Station in St Francis Bay.
The football academy also plays matches against other football teams from Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay on weekends.
“Despite our increase in numbers, we have a consistent group of kids that I have witnessed improve over the last year,” said Davis.
“They are learning to be more respectful and how to show discipline on and off the field through training. The children’s football skills are also continuously improving.”
He said they were looking forward to building on their current foundations and improving their project in the future.
Davis said the project was funded by the Village Square Community Centre and SuperSpar Shopping Centre.
“They have supported us with training equipment, as well as providing a sandwich, a piece of fruit and water to each child after every training session,” said Davis.
He further said he believed that they needed more funding to improve the project, to incorporate different sports and offer important life programmes to the children to make a change in the community.
With additional funding Davis said they are hoping to buy football boots, balls and kits, hire additional coaches, establish a local youth league, and upgrade the football field, which would amount to approximately R150 000.
For more information contact Matt Davis on 072 992 1097 or email mattdstyles@gmail.com.
Also, to learn more about what the football academy offers visit their Facebook page titled Sport for youth Football Program and their Instagram account on sfb_football_academy.
