Posted in News, Youth Academy on Jan 26, 2019.
Kaizer Chiefs Reserves player Ayanda Kgomotso Rorwana expressed optimism going into Saturday’s encounter against Polokwane City Reserves in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC). The motivated 20-year-old midfielder completed the pre-match drills on Friday afternoon under the watchful eye of coach Arthur Zwane.
Chiefs Reserves are taking on City Reserves on Saturday, 26 January 26 at Dobsonville Stadium. Kick-off is at 12:00.
‘Aya’, as Rorwana is affectionately called, was playing for the Bidvest Wits Youth Academy in 2010, the year that South Africa were hosting the FIFA World Cup.
“It was a great feeling for me as a youngster from Soweto to be exposed to international soccer,” recalls Rorwana. “Spain were my second love, after my country South Africa. I draw a lot of inspiration from Andrés Iniesta, who is a brilliant box-to-box player. He is also a creative player, something that I have adopted into my game.”
The midfielder shares some of his experiences in the process of developing his career to become a professional footballer.
“I have gone through a challenging period when, as a hopeful, I was playing at the Diambars Football Academy in the East Rand and attended Sunward Park High School in Boksburg. The Academy faced some challenges and I had to make a move to further my career in football and academics.”
Youngsters are often impatient but Aya is different. “Giving up was no option for me, it was a matter of what I needed in life. I think most youngsters get destructed by the ills in our society. Given the problems at Diambars, my parents and myself opted to move to a school closer to home in Soweto. I went to Morris Isaacson High School. Thinking back, I am glad I did not give up, thanks to my parents.”
Morris Isaacson High School was founded in 1956 and is based in Soweto. The school played an important role at the start of the Soweto uprising in 1976.
“I am happy to have studied at Morris Isaacson,” says Rorwana. “The school has made a significant contribution. I feel blessed to be associated with history.”
One of the twists and turns in Rorwana’s life came in 2015. “I was in Grade 11 and struggling with my grades. Business and geography studies gave me a hard time. I was playing for Kaizer Chiefs’ Under-19s side at the time. Coach Zwane listened to my situation and offered guidance. I took some time off from training to concentrate on my studies. I managed to improve my grades until eventually passing my matric.”
Rorwana has some words of advice for fellow youngsters, “I advise youngsters to balance their aspiration to play soccer with a focus on their academic progress.”
“He is a disciplined player,” comments Chiefs’ reserve side coach Zwane. “He is a marvel to watch and I think he has the potential to become a star.”
With Saturday’s match against Polokwane City at the back of his mind, Rorwana comments: “I’ve watched them play, they are not in third position by a fluke. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
“The development structure at Chiefs is enabling us to succeed,” the creative midfielder concludes. “All eyes are on us, especially because we play for Chiefs, and that is a challenge we must overcome with good performances.”
Amakhosi Reserves go into their encounter at the back of two successive wins and are presently in seventh spot on the MDC log.
Chiefs Reserves are taking on City Reserves on Saturday, 26 January 26 at Dobsonville Stadium. Kick-off is at 12:00.
‘Aya’, as Rorwana is affectionately called, was playing for the Bidvest Wits Youth Academy in 2010, the year that South Africa were hosting the FIFA World Cup.
“It was a great feeling for me as a youngster from Soweto to be exposed to international soccer,” recalls Rorwana. “Spain were my second love, after my country South Africa. I draw a lot of inspiration from Andrés Iniesta, who is a brilliant box-to-box player. He is also a creative player, something that I have adopted into my game.”
The midfielder shares some of his experiences in the process of developing his career to become a professional footballer.
“I have gone through a challenging period when, as a hopeful, I was playing at the Diambars Football Academy in the East Rand and attended Sunward Park High School in Boksburg. The Academy faced some challenges and I had to make a move to further my career in football and academics.”
Youngsters are often impatient but Aya is different. “Giving up was no option for me, it was a matter of what I needed in life. I think most youngsters get destructed by the ills in our society. Given the problems at Diambars, my parents and myself opted to move to a school closer to home in Soweto. I went to Morris Isaacson High School. Thinking back, I am glad I did not give up, thanks to my parents.”
Morris Isaacson High School was founded in 1956 and is based in Soweto. The school played an important role at the start of the Soweto uprising in 1976.
“I am happy to have studied at Morris Isaacson,” says Rorwana. “The school has made a significant contribution. I feel blessed to be associated with history.”
One of the twists and turns in Rorwana’s life came in 2015. “I was in Grade 11 and struggling with my grades. Business and geography studies gave me a hard time. I was playing for Kaizer Chiefs’ Under-19s side at the time. Coach Zwane listened to my situation and offered guidance. I took some time off from training to concentrate on my studies. I managed to improve my grades until eventually passing my matric.”
Rorwana has some words of advice for fellow youngsters, “I advise youngsters to balance their aspiration to play soccer with a focus on their academic progress.”
“He is a disciplined player,” comments Chiefs’ reserve side coach Zwane. “He is a marvel to watch and I think he has the potential to become a star.”
With Saturday’s match against Polokwane City at the back of his mind, Rorwana comments: “I’ve watched them play, they are not in third position by a fluke. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
“The development structure at Chiefs is enabling us to succeed,” the creative midfielder concludes. “All eyes are on us, especially because we play for Chiefs, and that is a challenge we must overcome with good performances.”
Amakhosi Reserves go into their encounter at the back of two successive wins and are presently in seventh spot on the MDC log.
