What happened in April 2024 at Lusaka Eagles?

Victories in tournaments, generous support, and insights into the the challenges of running an academy in Zambia

April was a memorable?month for Lusaka Eagles - alongside our regular training sessions, where we focused?specifically on ball work and possession drills,?a lot happened! We had our second instalment of A Cause A Month Initiative with an exciting sponsor and new partner,?and our boys and girls battled hard in tournaments.?

If you're reading this we'd like to thank you for following our journey. Each month, we aim to do as much as we can for our young athletes, both on and off the pitch, and we love sharing the progress with everyone who supports our efforts. If you would like to support further and keep up to date with our progression, sign up for our newsletter here!

Monthly Highlight

Ngombe Tournament Winners!

In April, our U10 team travelled to Ngombe, in the north of Lusaka to participate in a two-day tournament with Lusaka's best youth academies.?Abraham, the captain of the U10 team, put in a fantastic effort, leading his team to the top and taking home?the trophy!?

Cause A Month Sponsored by Pick n Pay Zambia

We are extremely grateful to Pick n Pay Zambia for sponsoring April’s A Cause A Month event, which was dedicated to nutrition. What a day it was, with a successful tournament featuring teams from throughout Lusaka. On the day Lusaka Eagles, Don Bosco, Appleseed and Rangers battled it out. The tournament was followed by all the children receiving meals donated by Pick n Pay, which included a hearty serving of nshima, beans, veggies, and chicken. A nutritious meal after a long day of sports!

Many children in our academy do not receive proper nutrition, which is?something we consistently aim to combat. Malnutrition affects Zambia as a whole, stunting growth and development in children from a young age - a critical issue that needs addressing.?This year we are hoping to expand our efforts in educating and providing our children with the right?nutrition.?

Thank you so much to Pick n Pay Zambia for such a generous donation and for being the second amazing sponsor of our A Cause A Month Initiative. If you want to get involved or know an organisation that might want to partner with us, head to our website to find out more or reach out on LinkedIn.

Zambian Football News

Barbra Banda came out the gates flying in Orlando

It was only a matter of time! In April, Barbra Banda scored her first goal and grabbed an assist, helping Orlando Pride secure an important win over Washington Spirit. The copper queen has landed on her feet in the US, and has already scored 3 more goals and 1 assist in May. Her tally now stands at?4 goals and 2 assists in just 300 minutes of football. Impressive stuff!

In other news, earlier in April, the Zambian Women’s team qualified for the Olympics, which will be taking place in July 2024. We’ll be keeping an eye on the team's progress leading up to the event - we are hoping for some silverware.

A Message From the Founders

Behind the scenes challenges

Running a football academy in Zambia presents numerous daily challenges. Understanding and adapting to these challenges has become easier over time. Seemingly small issues, such as a one-hour change in kick-off time, can create significant hurdles.?

Initially, a time?change may have?caused many children to miss games because none of them have phones, and the coaching staff, who live throughout the community, couldn't easily inform each child.??

We've found that relaying the message from one child to another who lives nearby is the most effective method. These challenges highlight the unique aspects of running a football academy in Zambia, where solutions differ from those in Europe, such as simply calling parents to drop off their children an hour earlier.

That's a wrap for April 2024 at Lusaka Eagles! It was a month of exciting growth and new opportunities. If you would like these updates sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here!