The Kalkspruit's very own footballer tells us he puts football on top of his list always, for it has never betrayed him, and most importantly, because it saved him from unpleasant habits, engagements and all sorts.
Aichel Malesela Calane is a professional football player that is driven and focused. His love for football was sparkled by a small beautiful township he was born and bred in, west of Polokwane, Kalkspruit GaMagongwa. Calene started juggling between football life and academics as young as he was 8-years-old until date. He was born in 2000, November 25th.
“I remember when I got my first pair of soccer boots, I was over excited to have finally found myself been officially part of the team, I felt completed and belonged. Owning my first pair of soccer boots, I consider my first achievement ever since football bugged me and my dearest Mom takes the cake”.
Calane says that the smell of new kicks and the comfortabilitity, dragged the best skills out of him – someone whose known to be cool and shy. “I started visiting the soccer fields a lot even when none other were present.
“When my coach finally noticed me, he would shower me with lots of compliments, lift me, encourage me to never slack like any other player, my then spare time would be soccer-time. From soccer practice, there was school work to stand against but that never bothered me, my time management was well balanced”. Said Aichel.
Aichel says that football took him off the streets when nobody could. Or rather, before he got introduced to the streets that splits the milk and wipes the floor like it was never wet. “Football helped me abstaining from what many youth in numbers are engaged with these days, - substance abuse, gangsterism etc”. The star further proclaims that it keeps him even more fit and looking out for his figure at all the times.
In all these years of football, Aichel has played tremously for football clubs such as Hamorny Academy in Virginia, Welkom, in the Free State Province alongside the likes of Tebogo Mokoena, Sipho Mbuli and a lot more. Black Leopards PSL Reserve League MDC and the TTM PSL Reserve League MDC. Currently, he is doing the most and what he loves with yet another well-known South African Football club, Baroka FC PSL League MDC.
To keep up to the level, Aichel says he is much committed to his training sessions that he does everyday and his soccer practice that allows him to always stay in his game and never slack.
Coaching a group is not always easy no matter how much you love what you do or put the effort, but having players like Aichel and others that are as determined, surely makes the experience even more exciting. Aichel’s energy makes the sound that is out of this world.
Going forward, Aichel unfolds that he wants to be labelled as one of the footballers from rural areas representing his country with all his abilities and pride, to make his fellows proud.
Young footballers tend to think that one needs just soccer skills to be seen and labelled as the best. Been the best, requires a lot of training, sweat, tears and a ‘no’ to quitting. Now, that leads to a best player with good skills.
Facebook: Aichel Ricker
Instagram: Aichel Calane