The Covid-19 pandemic has not deterred the ambitions of Taung Young Strikers from focusing on their target.
The team aims to compete in the elite league in 2022. They may be on the right course to reach their milestone, so claims team owner and overseer, Prophet Keletso Moenda of Be- Free Ministries.
The striving Taung Young Strikers brought the first division league status from Molepolole City Stars that relegated them from the top league the previous season.
The man of God, Prophet Moenda’s vision is to transform football and the way football is perceived.
“The reason why I went into football sir, as u are aware, I am a man of God. I want to introduce the masses behind this game to see that God loves everyone despite where you may be at any time. I also want to change the mindset of people that football is evil. No, it’s not. But how it’s run may be or seem evil. So, I want to change lives of many through this sport to know and accept Christ Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour. Again, I want to give back to the community by changing peoples’ lives in different ways,” the prophet said of his mission in football.
The church overseer aims to turn the fortunes of the team around. He observed that professionalism requires both money and human resources. So it is his prayer to see qualified people running his team so that at the end of the day it becomes an income generating sport just like in the international world.
Acknowledging the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the world and changed plans, the team remains resolute to achieve their goals and targets.
“First of all, as you know what’s happening in the whole world, I realized that it may take time for football to come back to full force. Above all, time isn’t on our side looking at the target we set for ourselves to be at the elite league by 2022,” prophet Moenda said.
He observed that his team has been competitive from the onset as we saw ourselves going straight to the playoffs as first comers into the first regional league (South East Regional Football Association (SERFA)) and ultimately impressing a lot of football followers. “The feedback we got gave us an impression that we can make it in football. So, we only need a change of mindset since we are now in a different level,” he observed.
When asked about the sponsors behind the team, he said they are just like other teams, they are relying more on people, supporters, associates and companies that have seen the team’s potential.
Moenda plans to use his church to lobby supporters to rally behind his team. He noticed that his church is one of the fastest growing ministries and he wants to merge believers with the rest of the world.
“Whether others do believe or not, share the same faith with us or not, football is a great platform to do any thing one may think, so my main prayer and plans is to see Christians supporting non-Christians, so that there can be peace, love and oneness. Again, we will try by all means to go digital so that we reach the far ends of the country and with time even go international. With faith everything is possible: Matthew 19 verse 26,” the determined prophet said.
