Johannesburg - Rising SuperSport United star Aubrey “Postman” Modiba encourages youngsters to persevere in the pursuit of their dreams.
Modiba, who rose to fame through the Nedbank Ke Yona talent search, says there is a lot of hidden talent in the country – especially in the rural areas.
But he says the lack of opportunities deters the talent from realising their dreams.
Speaking at his home village of Matshelapata outside Polokwane during the handover of a multipurpose sports centre in his honour, the 22-year-old said future stars should work hard and have faith.
“They must just believe in God and have faith in themselves, and make sure that they take their careers seriously,” he said.
The left winger advised up-and-coming stars to cast their nets wide, and explore their talents and interests.
“We have different talents … don’t say just because Aubrey made it in soccer you also want to play.
“You must do whatever you are good at and make sure you push hard. You must put everything in it, but most importantly you must respect the people around you.”
Modiba attended every trial he knew of when he was still pursuing his dream until his break with the Ke Yona team in 2015.
He has since grown in leaps and bounds, and is now a regular at SuperSport.
He had a great maiden season in the 2015/16 Absa Premiership campaign, which led him to win the Premier Soccer League Young Player of the Season accolade.
He has already represented the country in the senior team and was also part of the national Under-23 team at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
This week, Postman helped SuperSport grind a much-needed three points and boosted their chance of surviving relegation, when he scored the second goal of a 3-2 victory over Free State Stars.
He is the club’s top goal scorer in all competitions this season, with eight goals to his name.
On Thursday, he and Nedbank officially unveiled a R1.2 million sports centre at Modiba’s former school, Makgefola Primary.
“It meant the world to me to have this multipurpose centre built in my honour,” the winger said.
“I don’t know what to say … as soon as I entered the gate, I was a bit emotional to come back here today for such a big, big event. It means a lot to me and I am grateful to Nedbank for what it and its sports trust have done for me and my community.”
The centre will cater for sports such as basketball, netball and, of course, football.