Parents of talented children in football, coaches and academy pioneers have called for increased funding for football academies’ tournaments, saying sustainable competitions are essential to promote talent development, exposure and long-term growth of the sport in Rwanda. On Friday, December 26, four football academies — Rising Stars Academy, Angel Warriors Academy, Shining Academy and Runner Up Academy — took part in a football tournament dubbed “Kick for Joy,” held in Kanombe Sector, Kicukiro District. ALSO READ: Over 40 football prospects to join Bayern Munich Academy Rwanda Each academy fielded two teams in the Under-11 and Under-13 categories. The tournament, organised by Rising Stars Sports Centre, aimed to celebrate the festive season, promote good behaviour among children and discourage negative practices such as truancy and drug abuse. Parents who attended the event used the opportunity to reflect on their role in nurturing and guiding children with sporting talent. Established in 2023, Rising Stars Sports Centre operates in Kigali City and Rwamagana District. The academy currently enrolls 150 children. This was the second tournament organised by the centre, following the first edition held in Rwamagana. Shining Academy emerged as the overall winner in both age categories. READ ALSO: Inside FERWAFA’s nationwide talent detection “We give all children free access to the programme, although we request a small monthly contribution of Rwf10,000 from parents when possible,” Elie Nshimiyimana, the founder and head coach of the centre, told Times Sport. The programme welcomes boys and girls aged five to 13. However, Nshimiyimana noted several challenges, including limited equipment, poor infrastructure, a shortage of qualified coaches and difficulties in talent identification and retention. “To overcome these challenges, we need support from government, communities, international sports organisations and the private sector,” he said. What parents, coaches and children had to say Rising Stars Academy operates under the Bridge of Hope initiative, which seeks to provide children in urban and rural communities with access to sports and physical activities while promoting teamwork, discipline and Christian values. However, limited funding remains a hindrance the academy to achieve its desired goal to enroll as many children as possible. “There are many children with football talent, but there are limited initiatives in some neighbourhoods to nurture that talent,” said Dominique Mvunabandi, a parent with two children enrolled at Rising Stars Academy. ALSO READ: Rwanda needs more football academies – PSG Academy director “As parents, we should support and motivate our children, but some areas lack playgrounds. Established football academies need support to organise tournaments so that children can compete and gain exposure that may help them become international players,” he said. Mvunabandi also stressed the importance of learning from international football systems. “We have academies linked to clubs such as Arsenal, Atlético de Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich that can inspire Rwandan academies. If local tournaments are well funded and organised, our academies can also join global competitions. That is why we see many young players from West Africa joining European football clubs,” he said, adding that there is a need for mechanisms to identify talent at grassroots level. “Football academies at community level can help detect such talent if they are supported. I have two children, aged 11 and nine, and they are performing well after joining the academy.” It starts with us... Justin Gahima, another parent from Kicukiro District, said parents must take the lead in nurturing young talent through community-driven initiatives, citing gaps in support from local authorities. “Our initiative began after parents noticed children spending idle time at home,” Gahima said. “These initiatives came from parents living in the same areas. We could see students coming from school and sitting in houses doing nothing. Parents would like to see Rwanda appearing in regional, continental and even world football competitions.” Despite growing enthusiasm, Gahima acknowledged persistent challenges. “We still have many gaps in terms of support from local government at sector and district levels. Some leaders are not aware of these initiatives,” he said. In the absence of formal backing, parents have stepped in to provide resources and encouragement. “We are the ones supporting our children financially. We come to the fields, watch what they do and encourage them,” he noted. Gahima believes the talent displayed by the children shows strong potential if support is sustained nationwide. He urged communities and leaders to take responsibility rather than apportion blame. READ ALSO: Rwanda, PSG celebrate three years of success, extend partnership “We cannot afford to sit back and criticise. It starts with us supporting these initiatives. Today we ask why Rwanda is not in the Africa Cup of Nations. The solution lies in talent development and, if this continues, in the next 10 to 20 years we can make it,” he said. Among the young players celebrated at the tournament was Brian Shema from Shining Academy, who was nicknamed “Messi” by his teammates. “I got a medal. Our coach has done a lot for us. I started at Agaciro Academy and later joined Rising Stars at the age of five. I am in Primary Four, and my father motivates me a lot. My dream is to become a world class footballer like Mbappé,” he said. Eric Kazungu, a coach at Rising Stars Academy, said parental involvement plays a key role in player development. “Parents are often present, even during training sessions. Support from parents and local leaders, together with existing academies, can create a strong foundation. Regular tournaments, enough footballs, boots and jerseys could help Rwanda produce international players,” he said.
