ONE of the growing football brands in the country, Kick4Life FC have shocked the football fraternity following the announcement that the management of the club has taken a decision to disband its men’s team by the end of the current season.
sports
May 3, 2022
STAFF REPORTER
2 min read
Kick4Life close shop for men senior team
Kick4Life to focus on the youth teams, both males and females
Story highlights
Club to shift focus on women and youth football
Restructuring to ensure young players sign with big teams abroad
Kick4Life have been playing Premier League football for six seasons with their most successful campaign being the 2016/17 season, where the club finished in fourth position under the mentorship of Leslie Notsi.
The club has announced that its focus will now shift to mainly to its women’s squad as well as youth football for both boys and girls.
“Starting from next season, Kick4Life FC will focus on women’s senior football as well as boys and girls youth football, with the senior men’s team dropping out of the Premier League after six successful years,” the club said in a statement.
“Kick4Life’s mission is to change the lives and long-term prospects of young people in Lesotho and a core function of the current Kick4Life senior men’s team is to provide our most talented football participants the opportunity to play at a high level and achieve their potential in life.
“This has included supporting several young players to obtain life changing student-athletes scholarships in the USA and Canada, such as Lesia Thetsane, Mako Makoanyane, Senate Letsie, and Boitumelo Rabale.
“Kick4life announced that the changes will not affect their senior women’s team campaigning in the Lesotho Football Association Women’s Super League.
“Kick4Life men’s football operations will now focus exclusively on developing young players (up until U-23), while playing regularly against top teams in Southern Africa as well as competing in the lower leagues in Lesotho that are permitted by NCAA,” the statement further stated.
“Kick4Life women’s team will remain in the Super League with a strong focus on becoming a dominant force in the country after winning their first Super League title in 2021. Kick4Life aim to play a key role in growing the women’s football ecosystem and industry in Lesotho,” the statement also said.
Enjoy our daily newsletter from today
Access exclusive newsletters, along with previews of new media releases.
Kick4Life co-founder, Pete Fleming said the restructuring will help them focus their resources towards ensuring that more players get football and academic scholarships abroad.
“Kick4Life’s unique academy programme focuses on three key pillars: academics, character development and high-football training. We remain extremely focussed on developing the best young male and female footballers in the country through a restructured youth development and academy programme that will continue to offer some players the opportunity to sign for professional clubs across the globe,” Fleming said.
Kick4Life are currently in ninth position in the Vodacom Premier League with 40 points from 28 games. Over the weekend they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Swallows, who are fighting to escape relegation.
Tailored for you
