17 Inspiring Lessons for Grassroots Footballers From My Book.

17 Inspiring Lessons for Grassroots Footballers From My Book. +throughMylens Diary Bits & Pieces.

1. Invest in quality football shoes for different field and weather.

2. Individual brilliance, what is your Unique Selling Point (USP).

3. Preparation is key.

4. You can't dismiss physical strength. 

5. There's a difference between playing football as a hobby versus when it's your career.

6. Learn the basic of football especially Accuracy, Positioning and Decision Making.

7. There are two type of marking, that is man to man and marking of spaces. You need to know when to apply what works in different situations.

8. Results is what matters the most.

9. Time management is key.

10. Playing as a team within different section of the field ( Defence, midfield and upfront, the strikers).

11. Communication is paramount. 

12. Your lifestyle and attitude tells alot if you will make a career in football.

13. Never copy the opponents style of play but rather adjust your playing system to counter that of the opponent.

14. You can be skilled but without experience you can't perform at your best levels.

15. Strive to play beyond your community club. 

16. Take time for personal care for example look and be at your best , learn new skills, build new networks etc.

17.  Seek advice before, during and after the match from your coach and teammates.

Do More / Be More / Be Different 

Team Building Game On for Christ

 On Sunday 26th November I had the opportunity to join Game On for Christ in their end of year team building excercise. 

Game On for Christ goal is to assist young people in realizing their divine potential through mentoring, sports, education, and faith. 

I led a brief discussion on creating a strong team culture based on values.

Point Of View +throughMylens

Any organization's ability to manage staff expectations as well as organizational expectations is a key factor in determining its success.

Skill Up Master Session and Motivational Talks. 

I'm available from 15 - 20th December 2023.  All the sessions are tailor made for youth groups, Chama, football clubs etc.Main Objective:- How Building a Strong Team Culture. 💪

Do More / Be More / Be Different

www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

The Secret Behind My Jersey No. 38 What It Means

Every football player has an affinity for a particular jersey number, which can represent a variety of factors such as position, age, etc.

Around the world,  jersey number 10 is usually linked to star players in the team for example the late Diego Maradona, Okocha, Pelé, Messi, Zidane etc. The ripple effect has also been incorporated into Kenyan football culture, where players wearing jersey number 10 are viewed as superstars.

Nevertheless, today I want to share the story behind my jersey number 38, even though my favorite jersey numbers while I played were 14 and 15. I recall that everyone on our squad considered the number 13 to be unlucky, thus nobody wanted to wear it.

The number 38 on my jersey represents my self-made football adventure. examining in detail the factors that contributed to my success as a player.

Retired but Not Tired!

Retirement does not imply that you have given up on your passion or your desire to see others succeed in their endeavors.

These 38 tips are what really helped me succeed as a football player. Any aspiring football player should definitely check them out, in my opinion. These are a selections from my personal journey, having been exposed to many football environments both domestically and internationally.

1. Understand the rules of the game.
2. Discipline and consistency are key.
3. Dedicate time to train alone.
4. Train with a team.
5. Own atleast two pair of good quality boots.
6. Own a ball for personal training.
7. Go to the stadium.
8. Play at least two positions in the field.
9. Understand your strength and weak points.
10. Rest is important.
11. Drink alot of water.
12. Go for tryouts.
13. Play for teams within and outside your community.
14. Have a junior team in your community.
15. Aspire to be the team captain.
16. Watch foreign leagues.
17. Learn more skill beyond football.
18. Time management is key.
19. Cleanliness
20. Have a tag team. A small group that you train with to achieve a certain goal.
21. Watch what you eat and drink (No drugs or alcohol).
22. Choose your friends wisely. Be in the company of friends who want to see you win and who you share the same values.
23. Switch roles by becoming the coach or referee.
24. Play in tournaments and related competitions.
25. Have an exit plan, remember your will not be at the same level of performance as time goes.
26. Respect the opponent.
27. Listen more, talk less and don't forget to seek feedback after training or match day.
28. Don't let praise derail your ambitions to achieve more (focus).
29. Develop yourself outside the football pitch for example expand your network beyond football.
30. Document your football journey.
31. Play with top tier teams for example in friendly matches.
32. Spend your time wisely. Remember not everyone you play with in the same team is your friend off the pitch.
33. Respect the fans.
34. Respect the coach and your teammates.
35. Respect the referee.
36. Know your worth.
37. Seek God guidance in your journey
38. Have a role model and a mentor.

The Power  Of Name

As you may know, I have a lot of nicknames, including Maja, Gambrez, Gambino, Oruma, Captainy, Coaches, Wilsen-X, Wilsen, Mentor, and Ticha, to name a few. It was difficult for me to decide which one to print on my soccer shirt.

All of these aliases hold fascinating tales of my varied life experiences, including youth spaces, sports, ICT, travel, and social entrepreneurship, among other things.

Read More >>
https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-power-of-name.html?m=1

http://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-making-of-champions-of-life.html?m=1

Life lessons - House project

Life Series +throughMylens
The Untold Family Stories #MyStory

Life lessons - House project

Awaken the 'sleeping giant' in YOU!

#theChampionInYou

"Always respect the humble beginnings, stay focused, set smart goals, run your own race and be contented with what you have." Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate & Social Entrepreneur.

"I'm made of what you also don't see in me that only me has the privilege to use it to pivot to the next level of life" ~ Wilson Masaka

The two sides of life, what I call the TT of Life " It is either you are going through a Test or Testimony! - Wilson Masaka Youth Advocate & Social Entrepreneur

This TBT story brings a lot of nostalgia, at some point in time around 2000-2007 this was our house upcountry (villages). 🏠

Did you know, nobody in this world has a single story and in a million plus collections of stories that might look similar, there still exist some uniqueness in each story that needs to be told.

In case you're curious of what is the current situation, I invite you for a road trip upcountry or I would love to share more in a session with young people just to inspire them with my model and philosophy of change making that starts with you (Self Made - Wilsen Initiative philosophy).

Get in touch with me, I'm available in November - December for a motivational session under Skill Up Master Session featuring topics like goal settings,finan literacy, project management and planning, intrinsic versus extrinsic values values among others.

In a special way I want to thank my siblings for believing that no matter what is our situation we can still make it to where we want to be by pulling together. I owe a lot to my late parents for bestowing the best values in me that I'm able to lead the family in their absence. May God continue resting dad and mum in everlasting peace till we meet again.

One day I will either write a book or make a film of my life, but in the mean time I have the Bits & Pieces blog (www.wilsenx.blogspot.com) running since 2009 documenting part of my journey.

To God be the glory as I continue to praise him and I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of my journey in one way or the other. I'm not yet done and I believe the best is yet to come!

Do More / Be More / Be Different
www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Self Paced Learning - Learn To Learn

#SelfMade Series +throughMylens

Many young people are becoming digitally illiterate as a result of the faster-moving technologies. I think a lot of us have been able to stay up to date to some level with the state of the tech revolution ecosystem because of several unrecorded trends in our own personal learning.

The days of calling our tech-savvy acquaintance to get a specific answer are long gone because most solutions can now be found online. As they say, "Make Google your best friend." All we need to search for what we want is the correct tool, information, and abilities.

Below are the top ten learning patterns I have discovered for myself and would love to share with you.

1. Identify the pathways in your career and map them out. Take more than a casual read.
2. Watch documentaries that teach. Watch virtual lectures, conference, subscribe to webnairs, subscribe to web series, and so forth.
3. Subscribe to YouTube channels that address subjects related to your professional paths.
4. Before choosing what to read, conduct extensive research.
5. Make a reading strategy. Make weekly or monthly appointments in your calendar.
7. Social Media :- Follow three persons in your chosen field or subject of interest.
8. Practice is the only path to mastery; don't just study; put in the effort to practice.
9. Establish learning objectives and divide them into more doable, smaller tasks.
10. Record your daily activities, including what you learned and how you spent your time overall.

Case Study

In 2009, I started taking online photography classes. In order to keep a journal and hone my writing abilities, I started my own blog, Bits and Pieces, the same year. www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Currently, I offer paid photography services to grassroots football clubs. Therefore, get started on your trip right now—it's never too late.

Socrates once said, “Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people from their experiences, stupid people already have all the answers.”

Do More / Be More / Be Different
www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

8 Things To Consider When Recruiting a Founding Team

 Do you have an idea💡 Founders 360. 

#EarlyStageFounding 

Putting together a founding team or finding a co-founder is one of the hardest things to do, especially if all you have is a concept and no financial or other concrete resources.

Here is a short list of ten items to think about while choosing your founding team. 

1. People who hold similar values.

2. Individuals possessing complimentary abilities.

3. Establish a team with no more than three founding members.

4. Those who are eager to learn and get things into operation (Doers +Thinkers).

5. Individuals who will support you through every step of the process and, should things go wrong, will stay behind to help you find solutions.

6. Those who can endorse your project especially when you aren't in the room of opportunities. 

9. People who are self-starters, changer makers and visionary. More visionary than dreamers.

10. Those who you can rely on and trust.

" Your team is your idea's greatest asset, therefore if you don't carefully choose the appropriate fit, they could end up being a burden." - Wilson Masaka, Social Entrepreneur and Youth Advocate 

Esther Mazira Biography

Today I want to celebrate Esther Mazira who is part of the Wilsen initiative (Wi) founding team since inception. #TagTeam 

Appreciation  🎉🎉🎊🎊

Ms. Esther Mazira 

Project leader / Co-founder She Can (I'm a sHERO) at Wilsen Initiative (Wi). Data Entry Analyst and Footballer,

Esther Mazira is a devoted social entrepreneur and community advocate with a decade of accomplished experience working with young people, particularly those from marginalized communities. She graduated from Kenyatta University with a second class upper division bachelor's degree in commerce, with a focus on financial analysis and business management. 

She is currently employed at Salix as a data entry specialist.  Esther co-founded the Wilsen initiative (Wi) platform, which empowers youth and children with the goal of achieving SDG 1–No poverty, SDG 4–Quality education and lifelong learning, SDG 8–Decent work and economic growth, and SDG 5–Gender Equality. 

Her frequent outreach efforts under the Wilsen initiative (Wi) and participation in various youth spaces demonstrate her devotion to and dedication to a better society in which youth become the cornerstones of sustainable development, creativity, innovation, and problem solving. 

She firmly believes that self-change begins with oneself, and with football, she has had the opportunity to travel and get new perspectives on the nation and beyond. Her participation in the esteemed Norway Cup in Oslo, Norway in 2007 and 2008 is one of her many triumphant experiences.

As a supporter of creative entrepreneurship, education, and sports for development, Esther Mazira hopes to increase the positive impact that her work as a trainer, mentor, and change agent has on young people.

More about Esther Mazira 

- https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2023/10/meet-esther-mazira-wilsen-initiative-wi.html?m=1

- https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-power-of-co-founding-beyond-idea.html?m=1

Football For Social Change - School Holiday, Parents Meeting.

On Sunday, November 5, at Drive-inn Primary School in Mathare North, I was honoured to the guest speaker during the Red Eagles football club parents' meeting. 

Helping community-based and youth-led initiatives create sustainable systems and structures that will allow them to accomplish a more inclusive program that will eventually be sustainable is part of what I do under the Wilsen Initiative (Wi) and +throughMylens. 

The Gap 

Due to difficult financial circumstances, where parents would spend the majority of their hours sourcing for daily meals, one of the main challenges of the modern day is finding enough parenting time, especially for parents living in underprivileged neighbourhoods. 

There is a pattern of neglect that I have observed, particularly during the holidays, where kids from underserved neighbourhoods are abandoned to play random games on the streets posing various risks within the narrow streets.

The Solution 

Playing football and participating in related activities is one of the safest school holiday activities for children and teenagers from underprivileged neighbourhoods. The football training offered by grassroots clubs and initiatives provides the participants with both on and off the field skills that can help them learn how to manage their time well and stay away from bad influences. 

Unfortunately, most parents lack the understanding about the possible benefits to their children's present and future football growth, therefore they don't allocate the time or resources to assist or participate in their child's football development. 

Parents must become more active and educated in order for them to understand the value football creates and the role they may play in it. There is a rising knowledge gap in the ecosystem of football development where parents are involved.

During the meeting I was able to share the following;

1. The significance of establishing a more cooperative strategy that include parents.

2. Mobilization of resources.

3. Follow up, roles and responsibilities

4. Parental supervision and support.

Parents are an important pillar of children development and involving them in the every stage (parents and guardians) is essential.  

Not every parent has played football, and even those who have need to keep up with the latest developments and recognize the importance of the game both on and off the field. It is necessary to hold more gatherings, campaigns, and other awareness-raising events.  

Finally, I am always willing to talk about my experience and teach parents and clubs official about the important role they may play in the development of future stars, especially if they reside in underprivileged areas.

Do More / Be More / Be Different

Wilsen Initiative (Wi) School Holiday Program.

As the year 2023 draws to a close, most schools will be closed this week for the long two-month break setting the tone for the festive season holiday.

The question is, what holiday plans do you have for your kids?  Well, in most families from underprivileged communities, this is, however, an uncommon question.

Point of Concern!

#TheUnderservedCommunities

What will the kids be doing in the next two months is both my query and my challenge at the same time. How safe is it for our kids and young people during the school break, especially if they come from underprivileged communities?

Wilsen initiative (Wi) 

Did you know that the Wilsen Initiative (Wi) focuses on the following areas? These include digital literacy programs, sports for development, life-skill development, leadership, skill upgrading, SRHR, and the creative arts and creative entrepreneurship.

Although we haven't been able to accomplish everything, we have made great progress in many areas, with children and young people from underprivileged neighbourhoods being our target demographic.

The problem we seek to address Wilsen initiative (Wi).

Children generally pick up knowledge from their parents, the educational system, and society at large. Children are safer at schools, in my opinion, but they also require some time away from the system so they can explore their surroundings. Unfortunately, not many children and youth from underserved communities receive the best experiences, particularly during the school vacations.

The Action Plan

At Wilsen Initiative (Wi) we engage the children and young people more, especially during school breaks. Using the limited safe spaces and resources, we organise creative arts session, football tournament and life-skill training for children and youth.

#TheWiEffect #theWiExperience

I believe that through football as a 'vehicle',  creative arts, field trips for exposure and life skills training, our target group (children and youth) will find meangiful engagement not only to make them happy in the moment but more so find long lasting experiences that will make them better looking into the future.

I'm looking forward to the festive season holiday activities under Wilsen initiative (Wi). Your support and collaboration is most welcome in meeting the set goals for the school holiday (November - December 2023).

So far Plus One Talent will happen around second week of December. We are still mobilizing for resources and seeking support for the annual Mathare North Festive Season Football Tournament for U10 -U15, I aM a sHERO - 3rd Edition and Play Safe football shoes campaign where we target to atleast reach 50 young stars with a pair of football shoes.

Note: All our interventions are subject to availability of resources and required support. So far one of the activity has been confirmed (Plus One Talent). I'm inspired to Do More by  reaching out to my wider network of friends, family and well wishers to support the remaining planned activities.

Get intouch for any support and collaborations  wilson.masaka@gmail.com

Do More / Be More / Be Different
www.wilsenx.blogspot.com