Mario Stars Academy aims to get back in action

THE Mario Stars of Africa Football Academy will kick back into action for the new season with new entrants required to register before February 28.

The academy, according to its founder and chairman Mario Nailenge, is a community-based programme which aims to keep children off the streets by offering them football training. He said the academy so far has 80 youngsters who have been training with him since 1998, when the academy was established.The age groups are under nine, 13, 15, 17, and 20.Nailenge has been coaching the players with the help of some interested coaches since its establishment.”Overall, clubs have neglected their youth development policies and as a result the performance of the national teams, including the Brave Warriors, has been affected over the years,” he said.He also emphasised that the academy was totally dependent on donations and currently had a major problem of transporting players to and from the training field.He said he was proud to have coached Civics players Rudi Louw and Melvin Bruwer, who are currently playing premiership football.”My mission is to recommend the boys that train with me to the first division and the premier league to realise their talents,” he said.He added that it was pointless for some coaches to have the expertise and not to utilise it to help others.He said although they have plans to expand the academy to other regions, they cannot do so because of transport problems.Namibia also has the Mohamed Ouseb Sport Development Academy, the Collin Benjamin Soccer Academy and the Ongwediva-based Soccer Academy run by Dominikus Kornelius.For more information on the Mario Stars of Africa Academy, contact Nailenge at 081 224 0437.He said the academy so far has 80 youngsters who have been training with him since 1998, when the academy was established.The age groups are under nine, 13, 15, 17, and 20.Nailenge has been coaching the players with the help of some interested coaches since its establishment.”Overall, clubs have neglected their youth development policies and as a result the performance of the national teams, including the Brave Warriors, has been affected over the years,” he said.He also emphasised that the academy was totally dependent on donations and currently had a major problem of transporting players to and from the training field.He said he was proud to have coached Civics players Rudi Louw and Melvin Bruwer, who are currently playing premiership football.”My mission is to recommend the boys that train with me to the first division and the premier league to realise their talents,” he said.He added that it was pointless for some coaches to have the expertise and not to utilise it to help others.He said although they have plans to expand the academy to other regions, they cannot do so because of transport problems.Namibia also has the Mohamed Ouseb Sport Development Academy, the Collin Benjamin Soccer Academy and the Ongwediva-based Soccer Academy run by Dominikus Kornelius.For more information on the Mario Stars of Africa Academy, contact Nailenge at 081 224 0437.