Following Kaizer Chiefs’ extremely successful participation in Soccerex 2005 in

Dubai at the beginning of the week, Jessica Motaung jetted off to Qatar to attend the

launch of the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence in Doha. She was invited by the academy

Director General, Dr. Thomas Flock, and His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thami.

ASPIRE is a phenomenal institution that nurtures the dreams of aspiring young athletes

and guides them to the world stage through the best education, physical, and mental

training available in the world today. The campus includes the biggest indoor domed sports

facility in the world, and the entire infrastructure is state-of-the-art.

The launch of ASPIRE includes a three day conference (17-19 November) hosted by

internationally renowned sport science experts and supported by the greatest legends in

international sport. International youth football tournaments with teams like Ajax

Amsterdam, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, and ASPIRE FC are also featured.

Yesterday, Jessica collected her delegate accreditation and pack, and attended seminars

and workshops that focused on the theme of “Talent Identification and Talent

Development”. The information that was presented was from up to date studies and the

most current theories in sports science.

By far, the most exciting part of the day was the Masters Classes led by international

football icons Pele and Diego Maradona! The youth players, delegates, and media went crazy

on the practice field when these two heroes of the beautiful game conducted individual

soccer clinics. Pele was delighted to be in Qatar, and said, “developing the next

generation of young athletes was one of the best investments any country could make”.

Maradona’s comment was, “inspiring young people to play sport is one of the most

important things a professional athlete can do”.

Jessica got her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Pele, whom Kaizer Motaung played

against in his days in the USA, after the panel debate that included both giants. She gave

him a copy of the latest Kaizer Chiefs brochure and showed him the picture inside of her

father, Kaizer, and Pele shaking hands after a match in the late 1960’s.

Jessica said she was, “honoured to be invited to this important

international sports event. ASPIRE is a milestone for youth development in sport,

particularly soccer, and I would like to see a similar initiative in South Africa.”

The conference continues today and tomorrow with more seminars and workshops on the

latest developments in sports science, a gala dinner, and world-class theatre production.

All time highest Olympic medallist and swimmer, Mark Spitz, record-breaking Olympic

gymnast Nadia Comaneci, Olympic icon Edward Moses, and many other sports celebrities are

participating in this inspirational launch.

Ken H. Simmons, II, reporting


on behalf of Kaizer Chiefs