Cape Town - A Mitchells Plain teen is working hard to fulfil his dream of representing South Africa at an international tournament but is looking for a holiday job to help fund his trip.
Dyan Stuart, 17, has been playing soccer since he was five and was recently selected to represent the country at the annual International Youth Football Tournament in Dallas, USA, next year.
While his parents can't afford the trip, his family has managed to raise R13 500 and Dyan is appealing to Capetonians to help him with a holiday job so he can raise the remainder of the required funds.
The young defender from Rocklands attends Garlandale High School and is also preparing for his final school year in 2018.
Dyan’s family are soccer fanatics and says he grew up being trained by his brothers Keagan, 27, and Dylan, 20.
At the age of five he joined the Anchoridge Football Club and is currently a member at the Mitchells Plain Clinic of Excellence in Eastridge.
Gordon Witbooi, owner of the soccer clinic, says Dyan is a star player: “He is 17, but plays with the senior teams who are * -20 and * -23 because he is that good. He is the youngest player on those teams.”
He says Dyan was selected for the W.P. * -17 team in 2016 and was spotted by a talent scout to try out for the Dallas Cup.
Dyan says: “I was at home when they called. I got a big skrik (fright) because I never thought it would happen. So now I am working hard to make sure I get the funds to make my dream come true."
“I believe the South African team has a good shot and I see us making it to the knockout stages. But the finance for the trip is a problem. My mommy, Yolanda, 47, runs a small cooldrink business and my daddy, Owen, 49, is a Golden Arrow bus driver."
“They work hard to provide for our family, but they don’t have that kind of money, so I have been looking for a holiday job so I can work for the money.”
Yolanda says the family is very proud of Dyan and since receiving the news, they've been selling food hampers to help raise the funds.
“We are very proud and so we put together hampers and sell chicken strips and stuff to make up the money,” she says.
“We are Christians and we believe that God will make a way. We have taught all our children to work for what they want and this is who Dyan is.”
To assist, call 071 318 4032 or 076 812 0299.