28-05-2025
Calcutta woman gets licence to coach and gives young footballers hope
A local woman, Priscilla Mthombeni (44), did not miss the chance to uplift herself – and by extension, her community – earning a licence to coach soccer, making her mark in a male-dominated industry.
Mthombeni was among the 30 coaches who graduated on Sunday, May 4, after an eight-day course at KaBokweni Stadium. With just over a year of coaching experience under her belt, Mthombeni has showed nothing but courage to uplift the football skills of youngsters in her community.
Although she has never played football herself, her love for the sport led her to start her career by joining the coaching team of Calcutta Youth Desk FC, made up of young players from disadvantaged backgrounds. She is currently the coach of the local Ben William FC U17 boys team that participate in the annual Forek U17 Developmental League.
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She said she is inspired by her stepfather, Amos Maphanga, who is a former coach.
'I love watching soccer and I have managed to use sports to create crime awareness campaigns in the community through annual sports tournaments that engage the youth and steer them away from crime,' she said.
Mthombeni is a police officer based at the Calcutta Police Station and specialises in social crime prevention. Her efforts have yielded impressive results for her team, with football academies scouting some of her talented players.
Mthombeni's passion is to continue inspiring players in her community, despite the many challenges they face. 'Many of my players lack essential equipment, including soccer boots, and I am often forced to dig into my own pocket to help, but I can't help every player. Funding for transportation and food for the team when we have to travel are some of the challenges. I am committed to finding ways to uplift these youngsters.'
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She said her team will be participating in the Sports is your Future tournament in Ximungwe in June and hope to win some soccer kits. Ben William FC will be among 32 teams that will go head to head in the tournament. Mthombeni said she wants to demonstrate the impact that a person can have in their community by providing opportunities and support.
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