KARIEGA – Local soccer club, Atlantic Spurs, located in McCarthy Informal Settlement, recently received a new kit from the Ward 49 councillor, Georgen Miggels.
According to founder Mornay Valtein, the recent handover will instil dignity in the players, as players previously used to lend each other their sweaty kit for the chance to participate.
On what receiving this new soccer kit means for Atlantic Spurs and its players, Valtein said, “Based in an informal settlement, the club does not have much financial assistance. The project will definitely instil dignity in the players, who now have their own kit instead of borrowing. It gives them a sense of value. With four divisions (U11, U13, U15, U17), which had previously been sharing, having this kit now will stop the ‘inhumane’ act of sharing sweaty kits and socks.”
He added that the divisions now have a sense of belonging, going from a lack to having.
The kids can now play with more pride.
Valtein said the club, which was founded in 2018, currently has more than 100 registered junior players across its four age groups, as well as a senior team. While football remains at the heart of the project, he emphasised that the club’s mission extends far beyond the sport itself.
“Our main goal is not just football,” he said. “Football is the tool we use to teach young people that they can achieve anything if they work hard. We want them to believe they can become doctors, teachers or whatever career they choose. We want them to dream beyond the circumstances they come from.”
He said the club also runs a study centre to encourage players to prioritise their education alongside sport, adding that every child’s academic needs are considered individually.
“We always respect what the parents want. If a child needs to focus more on school, we support that. But we also encourage them to stay active because sport teaches discipline, teamwork and commitment.”
Valtein said the club still faces several challenges despite receiving the new kit. One of the biggest concerns is the shortage of soccer boots, with players often borrowing boots from teammates before matches. “The size of one player’s foot is not the same as another’s. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality for many clubs,” he said.
He added that training equipment, particularly soccer balls, is also in short supply, limiting the quality of training sessions. Another challenge is the lack of suitable playing fields. Atlantic Spurs currently trains at McCarthy Comprehensive School in the Kamesh precinct after previously using a venue that became unusable following years of vandalism.
Valtein believes greater involvement from parents and the wider community would make a significant difference. “Sometimes the children don’t need money or expensive things. They just need their parents and community members to come and cheer them on. It takes a village to raise a child, and we want our community to become that village.”
Miggels said the donation formed part of the ward’s discretionary funding programme, through which qualifying community organisations can apply for financial assistance.
“We encourage organisations every year to apply,” Miggels said. “Atlantic Spurs is one of the clubs I have encouraged for several years because I have seen the work they do in developing young people from a young age.”
He explained that while councillors may motivate applications, the final decision rests with the Speaker’s Office and the relevant adjudication committee, provided applicants meet all the administrative requirements.
Miggels said community sports clubs play an important role in steering young people away from crime, gangsterism and substance abuse.
“If young people’s potential is not channelled in the right direction, they can easily become involved in drugs or gangs,” he said.
Sport provides discipline, purpose and even opportunities for future employment.
He added that funding is available not only to sports clubs, but also to churches, non-governmental organisations, arts and culture groups, and other qualifying community organisations operating within Ward 49.
Looking ahead, Valtein said the club hopes to continue growing both on and off the field, with ambitions of earning promotion to the SAFA Regional League within the next five years.
More importantly, he said, the club wants to continue providing a safe environment for young people living in the informal settlement.
“If these children weren’t on the football field, many of them could end up involved in gangs or other negative influences,” he said. “We want to keep them active, give them hope and show them that where they come from does not determine where they can go.”
