Meet 36 years old Soshanguve born Thomas Mphara or better known as coach T, a mentor and an inspiration to the youths of Soshanguve.
Coach T is a very passionate sports fanatic who discovered his love for sports from a young age. His journey as a coach started 11 years ago, when he organised netball and football tournaments for churches in Soshanguve, Winterveld and Mabopane.
His love for sports earned him the privilege to host a team of professional player from MLS in the US during the 2010 world cup.
In 2011 he started coaching and administration. He worked at Baxoxele Primary School for 4 years and since moved to Padisago Primary School in 2013 till to date.
Coach T is known for grooming and paving ways for young athletes and aspiring football players. He also works with Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club development programme.
“What I love about these kids is that not only do they see me as a coach but as a father, someone they look up too and that is a privilege on its own,” said coach Mphara.”
In the many years of his coaching career, his best achievement thus far is having seven boys from his football club get promoted to play for Mamelodi Sundowns Youth Academy which competes in the Gauteng Development league.
In September 2018, Coach Mphara accompanied a few of his athletes to Port Elizabeth for Athletics Gauteng North Cross Country National Championship.
In 2014 he also participated in a programme that visited schools around the area doing sports clinics in football, netball and volleyball.
They also visited Orphanages, hospices and an old age home to do laundry, cleaning and spending time with the inhabitants. These happened for four consecutive years, with the missionary from the Netherlands.