The Ubuntu Football Matric Students Pave The Way For The Next Generation
By Joshua Wood, High School Correspondent
Joshua is a Grade 11 student at the new Ubuntu Football High School. He has an interest in journalism and decided to test out his skills by interviewing his Grade 12 peers. He has now become our High School Corespondent. When you’re done reading, leave a comment at the bottom to let Joshua know how he did!
Ubuntu Football Reaches New Heights
Ubuntu Football officially opened a high school at the beginning of 2019; not only are the directors focusing on football but on schooling as well. “We are here to use elite football context to help young men grow into the best they can be”, said Casey Prince. The majority of the matric students described Ubuntu not just as a club, but as a home, and most importantly a huge family that they will never forget.
Tevin Potts #7
Age 18
BACKGROUND ON HIS SCHOOLING CAREER
The youngster is not just a talented footballer but he is just as solid in a classroom environment. He has been recognized every year so far for being the top achiever in Afrikaans and Life Orientation.
WHAT HE WILL AND CAN DO TO BE A ROLE MODEL
Being a role model is very important to Tevin. He wants to be a leader to boys both older and younger than he is. The midfielder insisted that he needs to set a good standard for the upcoming Gr 11 learners so they could be motivated to surpass his high achievement and results.
FAVORITE SUBJECTS IN SCHOOL
His favorite subject in school is geography as he loves nature. “When I look up at the sky and see the clouds, I am able to implement what I have learnt in the classroom”. Tevin thinks that everybody learns something in a different way, he wants everybody to use their technique so they can get the best results.
Duwayne Davids #5
Age 17
IS GRADE 12 IMPORTANT AND WHY?
The pacey wing-back believes that all grades are essential as they have the ability to determine your future. At the moment he describes the year as “basic”, it is not challenging yet, and he is able to cope well with the workload.
IS HE IN A PRESSURISED SITUATION SINCE HE IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST MATRICULANTS OF THE SCHOOL
“You can take the horse to the water, but you cannot force him to drink” stated Duwayne. The player also said that everything is given to them on a silver platter so all of them have to do their best and make sure they deliver as a unit.
Yibanathi “Pitso” Dubula #19
Age 18
HOW HE FEELS ABOUT IT BEING HIS LAST YEAR AND WHAT UBUNTU MEANS
The “maestro” almost shed a tear as he said: “Ubuntu means everything to me, they gave me hope when I had nothing”. Pitso wants to thank Ubuntu for all their efforts, faith and trust they have given him. He made sure that the reporters knew that Ubuntu is his home away from home.
WHAT LEVEL HE WANTS THE SCHOOL TO BE AT NEXT YEAR
He wants the school to be a place where the youngsters can enjoy themselves. “The school is already different from any other school, it allows you to do what you love and still pursue a great education”. The midfielder has high hopes for the school in the future, he truly thinks that it can make a difference in the community, the country and even in the world.
ADVICE TO GIVE THE GRADE 11 CLASS FOR NEXT YEAR
Time management is the key to success, everything else will fall into place if you are always on time. Pitso stated that everybody needs to work hard including him. The matric certificate is important as it can be the difference between a university choosing you or not and it can be the reason you get the job or not. DO NOT LET ANYTHING DISTRACT YOU !!! Mr. Dubula had many distractions including the use of harmful substances and getting involved with girls. He encourages the future students not to give in to such urges. Put in the hard work now and you will be rewarded with what you want later.
Keenan Bezuidenhout #11
Age 17
HOW IT FEELS TO BE IN HIS FINAL YEAR OF UBUNTU
Keenan (a.k.a the goal scoring machine) does not feel any remorse as he is in need of a new challenge. They have made him a better man and for that, he will be forever grateful. When he finishes this year on a high, he will continue to show the Ubuntu values so he can be a great leader and role model for his peers.
GRADE 12 IS FILLED WITH PRESSURIZED SITUATIONS
The grade 12 learner encourages everyone to invite pressurized situations into their lives. He has done so from a young age and it does not affect him on the football pitch nor in the classroom anymore. “ It still gets to me at times, but I have learned to deal with it”, said the striker. He wants everybody to TRY their best because it will benefit them. When a coach was asked about Keenan the first thing that came to mind was, “A pure goal scorer”, ”He has cool hair”, and most importantly, ”A hard-working player”.
Ashley “Ella” Wyngaard #14
Age 18
HOW GRADE 12 IS TREATING HIM AT THE MOMENT
“It's a tough and challenging grade”, said Ella. The workload is way more than expected but the tactician has found a way to break the problem down and come up with a solution. Self-motivation is something that needs to be practiced every day. In the online environment, you need to be able to push yourself and not be dependent on mentors or teachers to do it for you.
HIS FAVORITE SUBJECTS
Ella’s favorite subjects are CAT and Geography. He has recently received recognition in CAT and this is a subject that he really enjoys. Geography is another subject he likes, even though it might not seem this way he loves nature. This subject allows him to express himself and relax.
WHAT HE IS GOING TO BE DOING AFTER SCHOOL
He decided that if football does not go as planned he wants to be an architect. The football artist explains that he would love to study architecture and help build his community up. His plan is to stay focus and not to mess around. He wants to be able to look back and tell himself that he has really worked hard to get to where he is now.
