Kick4Life, an organization dedicated to developing young talent through football, has announced that two more of its student athletes, Tsielo Mokebe and Bataung Molefi, have secured scholarships to study and play soccer in the United States. This brings the total number of students sent abroad by Kick4Life to 15.
Chairperson of Kick4Life, Malephane expressed immense pride in the organization’s achievements, stating, “As an organization, we’re proud of ourselves as we send student athletes abroad every year. To us, that is a great achievement as our work is to discipline and develop these children to be independent and explore their talents and studies.” Malephane emphasized the significance of their efforts, noting that they have sent enough players to form a team overseas throughout the years. He urged Tsielo and Bataung to work hard and continue to wave both the Kick4Life flag and the Lesotho flag high.
The program director highlighted that last year, they sent four student athletes abroad: three to the USA and one to Iceland. Their success has led coaches from the USA to request more players from Kick4Life. However, due to undisclosed reasons, this year, only Tsielo Mokebe and Bataung Molefi will be sent abroad.
Bataung Molefi, who joined Kick4Life in 2017 at only 13,expressed his gratitude to Kick4Life and his coaches, saying, “They supported me, they gave me the resources, they picked me up when I was down, and for that, I am thankful.” Bataung will be attending Lewis and Clark Community College, following in the footsteps of Bakuena Ramakatse, who left last year and is already making a name for himself. Bataung will study for an associate degree in business and play soccer in America for the next two years. He promised to work hard and make his family and Basotho proud.
On the other hand, Tsielo Mokebe, who joined Kick4Life in 2019, shared her journey from playing football as a hobby to aspiring to become a professional player. “Kick4Life and my coaches have given me the opportunity to see my true potential in football”, she said. Tsielo will be attending Freed-Hardeman University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business management for the next four years. She expressed gratitude towards Thabo Mahlaha, who set an excellent example for Kick4Life student-athletes through his hard work and determination abroad. “If he wasn’t working so hard there, I doubt I would have had the opportunity to go there. So, thank you, Thabo. We’ll be joining you soon to wave our flag high,” concluded Tsielo.
Tsielo’s mother also expressed her pride and gratitude, acknowledging the dedication and hard work her daughter put in at Kick4Life. She thanked the organization and the coaches, especially Coach Phoka, for their support and training.
Likhapha Khemi, the academics coordinator, explained that Kick4Life operates under three pillars: football, character, and academics. She emphasized the importance of balancing these aspects for student athletes to succeed. Likhapha expressed pride in seeing Tsielo and Bataung leave, as she has worked closely with them since they joined Kick4Life.
To date, Kick4Life has sent 13 players abroad, soon to be 15 with Tsielo and Bataung. The program has seen six girls, including one making strides with Mamelodi Sundowns, and one athlete in Iceland, whose team was recently promoted to a higher league tier. Among these student athletes, one is deaf but continues to rise among the ranks. The chairperson also expressed a desire to increase the number of female student-athletes to promote women’s football.
The success of Kick4Life’s international student-athlete program is a testament to the organization’s commitment to developing well-rounded individuals who excel in football, character, and academics. As Tsielo and Bataung embark on their new journey, they carry the hopes and pride of Kick4Life and Lesotho with them.
