Ascent Soccer proud of its 5 products in the triumphant Scorchers
Lilongwe’s Ascent Soccer describes the five players it contributed to the triumphant Malawi Scorchers as “amazing young women who are reaching new heights — going from rural dirt fields to national teams and global pathways and from a future of scarcity to one of hope and opportunity”.
“Congratulations to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) on this historic victory,” the Academy says in a statement.
“For the first time in Malawi’s history, the senior women’s national team claimed the COSAFA Championship Cup, with some major contributions from the emerging youth academy talent of Ascent Soccer.”
The five whom the Academy nurtured from grassroots level are 17-year-old Rose Kabzere; Leticia Chinyamula (17); Faith Chinzumu (16); Maggie Chavula (18) alongside Ireen Khulamo (20).
The 2-1 championship final victory over Zambia saw Ascent’s Rose Kabzere and Leticia Chinyamula in the starting XI and both Rose and Leticia appeared in all five of the Scorchers matches (3 starts and 2 substitute appearances).
The Ascent Soccer ‘youth movement’ didn’t stop there — as Faith Chinzumu and Maggie Chavula also being considered in the line-up, alongside Ascent graduate Ireen Khulamo, who was used as left back.
In the five tournament wins over hosts and record seven-time champions South Africa’s Banyana Banyana (4-3); against e-Swatini (8-0); against Madagascar (3-1); against Mozambique (2-1); and Zambia (2-1), Rose Kabzere collected a goal and four assists — with Leticia netting two.
This is not the first time products of Ascent Academy have been spotted by FAM scouts for the national teams as just last year, two — Ireen Khumalo and Marian Mnenula — were part of the squad for COSAFA Women’s Championship while four girls were in the Malawi Under-17 squads for the 2022 Regional 5 Games.
At the COSAFA Under-17 tournament held in Mauritius in 2018, Ascent contributed three players — Francis Mtoso, Emmanuel Mitole and Lovemore Mbeta with Mtoso and Mitole scoring two of Malawi’s six goals.
Mtoso and Mitole were featured in their first game against Angola, which they lost 0-1 and in the second game against Zimbabwe, Malawi started all three ascent players with Francis as captain.
They won 5-0 huge with Francis and Emmanuel each scoring as Emmanuel and Lovemore created an assist each.
Malawi then needed to beat Swaziland by two or more goals to go through but could only manage a 1-0 victory and bowed out on goal difference.
The full triumphant 2023 COSAFA Women’s Championship squad comprises products of eight other local clubs — MDF Lionesses (Asimenye Simwaka, Mary Major, Patricia Nyirenda); Ntopwa FC (Mercy Sikelo, Rose Alufandika, Funny Magombo); Nyasa Big Bullets (Bernadettar Mkandawire, Lyna James, Vanessa Chikupira); Silver Strikers (Ireen Khumalo, Carolyn Mathyola, Madyina Nguluwe, Chikondi Gondwe); Mighty Wanderers Queens (Esther Maulidi); Civil Service Women (Martha Cosmas) and Sarah Mlimbika (Ndirande Soccer Giants).
Those foreign-based are Chimwemwe Madise (Elite Ladies – Zambia); Temwa Chawinga (Wuhan Jianghan University – China) and Sabina Thom (TP Mazembe – DRC).
Scorers were: Temwa Chawinga (9 goals); Sabinah Thom (3); Leticia Chinyamula and Asimenye Simwaka (2) and one each from Vanessa Chikupira, Rose Kabzere and Carolyne Mathyola.
Through Ascent’s founder, George Maguire, Malawi has the best female export, Tabitha Chawinga, who is playing for Paris St. Germain (PSG) on loan from Wuhan Jianghan University of China where she plays alongside her sister Temwa Chawinga.
Tabitha first went to Europe when Maguire spotted her playing for her local club, DD Sunshine at the age of 17 and after pulling together a video and spreading the word, helped her land a professional contract with Sweden’s Kvarnsvedens IK.
Founded in 2014, Ascent Soccer is Malawi’s leading football academy, having assessed over 40,000 young players across Malawi — several of them being drafted in FAM’s junior national teams.
In June, Ascent Soccer became the first ever organisation to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from FAM for its exceptional excellence in youth development initiatives.
This was when FAM rewarded outstanding football personalities in the country that included legendary former Flames goalkeeper, Dennis Saidi; former FIFA referee, Everson Mkwangwanya and illustrious administrator, Robin Alufandika.
Founded in 2014 by George Maguire as a football development institution under the name ‘Chigoli Academy’, Ascent Soccer has produced several young players who have gone to world-class boarding schools in the USA and created opportunities for professional players with trials offered in South Africa, Italy and Spain.
In its citation for the award presented to Maguire, FAM recognised that since its inception, Ascent Soccer has developed into a residential academy with over 80% of its players in boarding facilities and it is the only full-time academy soccer and scholarship program in the country.
Through guidance of Maguire, it delivers opportunities and global pathways for both boys and girls and over the years, Ascent Soccer has run regional talent identification events and open trials for over 40,000 youth, from which their current group of 65 student-athletes has been selected.
Over seven years of programming, they have enrolled full-time soccer scholars from every region of Malawi, whose current academy set-up includes male U-14, U-16 and U-18 squads, along with the U-14 & U-18 Ascent Girls.
All five groups enjoy a full-time academic, character, football, and health/nutrition program, led by a committed group of international and local staff — and there are no fees or costs for any of Ascent’s student-athletes.
The Ascent Soccer Global Scholarships’ opportunities are life-changing for the talented and determined student-athletes.
In 2019, Maguire was honoured with Non-Citizen of the Year award by Malawi Sport annual awards administered by Malawi National Council of Sports, for the very recognition of the grassroots football development initiative.
He was also nominated for this year’s African Union Sports Council Region 5 annual sport awards (RASA) 2023 also as Non-Citizen category.
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