SportsClub talks to iconic African sportsmen and women and finds out what sport has taught them. This month: Brian Baloyi. By Mogamad Allie

What attracted you to become 
a goalkeeper? Normally the urge is for kids to be strikers or skilful outfield players.
It just happened. When I was younger, I wanted to play in the ‘attractive’ positions, like the other kids. I played as a striker and then as a sweeper with City Wanderers in Alexandra township. One day my youth team coaches took a chance with me in goal. I did well and that’s where I’ve been ever since.

Who were your role models when you were growing up?
There’s more than a hundred people who I look up to. I draw inspiration from people who’ve been successful in all spheres of life. I’m a very positive person so I draw positives from other like-minded people. I love that energy. Madiba is top of my list. Others include Jomo Sono and Kaizer Motaung. They are people who were great footballers and then went on to become successful businessmen as well.

What sports, besides football, 
do you like watching?
I love watching lots of different sports. I went to watch a few days of the cricket Test between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers last November. I also like watching tennis – I’m a big fan of Roger Federer, who’s such a humble guy despite everything he’s achieved. I’m attracted to basketball and American football. I always try to learn what the sport does for the community and I like the way the Americans use sport in such a big way to help cure the social ills of their communities. There’s so much we in South Africa can learn from them in that respect.

Tell us about one of your favourite sporting moments?
One of my favourite moments was Phil Masinga’s goal against the Republic of Congo in August 1997 at the FNB Stadium that qualified us for our first-ever World Cup in 1998. I was on the bench as part of the squad and the feeling after the game, knowing that we had qualified ,still leaves me with goose bumps. And 
of course, it was a great strike from long range that made the goal even more special for us.

What is your favourite memory 
as a player?
It has to be playing at my first Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Burkina Faso in 1998. Even though we lost in the final to Egypt, I was proud to be ranked as one of the top players in the tournament. Of course, it was great to be part of the Kaizer Chiefs team that won the Mandela Cup [African Cup-Winners’ Cup] in 2001. At the time I didn’t care whether the African Champions Cup was more prestigious or important. As a South African, winning a trophy with the Mandela name attached to it meant so much to us as players and as a club. We went through hell playing under the toughest conditions in different parts of Africa to get to the final and to eventually win it made the success so much sweeter. It’s a memory I still hold on to dearly. 


What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your career?
Discipline. Football is a team sport that teaches you team work in a way that school teachers can’t do. In the game you learn that it’s not only about you – the team cause is much bigger. When you go into the corporate world it’s a lesson you 
can apply effectively. The biggest lesson the game has taught me is 
to be selfless. The game also allowed me the privilege of travelling the world; not only to see all the beautiful countries but also to learn and appreciate the different cultures.

Itumeleng Khune has credited you with mentoring him while he was a youngster at Chiefs. What did you do and does he still sometimes come back to you for advice?
I regard Itu as a younger brother. 
I took him under my wing at Chiefs and passed on my experience to him. We speak regularly about football and life in general. He still asks for advice here and there. There are many boys in the Premiership and in the National First Division who come up to me and ask for my number to have a chat. I’m always open to giving advice. This is not only humbling, but is something I feel I have to do as a duty to the game, to empower and inspire the next generation. I would love to see the goalkeeping standards improve and it’s always been a concern for me that more than 50% of goalkeepers in the league are foreigners, so I will do anything I can do to help improve the situation.

How important is it for sportsmen to plan for life after they retire?
It is very important but it’s not just 
a football problem. South Africans tend to point fingers at the footballers for not planning for their retirement. Every generation sees things going from bad to worse and as a football community we can do something to help players to plan better. It’s important to catch the young players when they just turn professional to help them right from the start to plan for their future after their playing days are over.

What exactly do you do in your new job as commercial and marketing manager at Sundowns?
It’s my portfolio to acquire and manage sponsorships, and to market the club. I also have to devise plans to promote the activities of the club and to attract fans to come and watch the team. It’s something I prepared myself to do while I was in the last few seasons of my football career. Football has been good to me so I want to give back to the game. I’m willing to learn.

Does it help being Brian Baloyi when you do this?
Yes and no. Some of the people 
I deal with think that all footballers can do after they retire is coach 
or manage teams – I often come across those stereotypes – but after talking to people and giving them a chance to hear what you have to say they change their perceptions about footballers and the game in general. Of course, when I deal with those who know who I am it makes getting my message through to them a lot easier. 



Did you have to complete any courses to assist you in doing 
your job better?
I’m working on a few things with the Johan Cruyff Institute for Sports Studies which is based in Spain and the Netherlands. There are three courses that I want to do online. Later on maybe I will do the Fifa International Masters course in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport.

Ploughing back
In an effort to give back to 
the community in which he grew up, the former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper has started the Brian Baloyi Foundation. The purpose of the foundation is to provide opportunities for the development of the underprivileged youth of South Africa. ‘To encourage young people to discover their potential and become productive and active members of society, the foundation aims to take a holistic approach to the well-being of the youth, 
by investing in their education, sports development and health,’ says Baloyi. ‘I will be doing 
a lot of work in the community, especially in the townships, through the foundation,’ 
he adds.
‘You learn that it’s not only about you – the team cause is much bigger. The biggest lesson the game has taught me is to be selfless’