By Dylan Bettencourt
- Before he joined Orlando Pirates, Moremi was a schoolboy track star who nearly chose athletics over football.
- His first coach had to meet with his mother and the school principal to keep him playing the sport.
Before Tshepang Moremi wowed fans at Orlando Pirates, he was best known for tearing up the running track in Sharpeville.
At just 11 years old, he held his school’s 100-metre record. Coach Motsamai Motsepe noticed his speed right away. “He was only in primary school,” he said. “But already breaking records.”
Moremi’s first love was athletics. Coach Mohapi Mofokeng trained him from the age of eight. “He lived for the track,” he said. “Football was just a hobby.”
But his speed could not be ignored. One day, Motsepe saw him racing past defenders in a local soccer match. “He was raw but lightning fast, and left-footed too!” he said, FarPost reported.
Soon, Moremi was shining in school tournaments and earning the nickname “Buda”. Still, he kept going back to athletics.
Motsepe had to step in. He arranged a meeting with Moremi’s mother and the school principal. They agreed: he could do athletics early in the year, then switch to football.
“I told his mother I’d guide him. I saw something special,” said Motsepe.
By age 14, Moremi was off to Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sport School in Centurion, where he trained and studied.
In matric, he returned home and joined the Remember Elite Sport Academy. Playing in the SAB League, he impressed once again.
Motsepe met former Bafana Bafana striker Mabhuti Khenyeza at a coaching course and told him about Moremi. Two days after the trials, AmaZulu signed him to their DDC team.
He made an instant impact, scoring in a 3–2 win against Golden Arrows in December 2020.
Later, he went on loan to Pondo Chiefs, starting 23 games in the second division. After AmaZulu called him back, he scored and assisted in his return game against Golden Arrows.
Then came Benni McCarthy. “Benni promoted me to the PSL and gave me my CAF Champions League debut,” Moremi told FarPost.
He later joined JDR Stars, scoring five goals, before returning to AmaZulu. Then came the big move to Orlando Pirates.
He says he’s ready for more. And he still looks up to his former coach. “Benni McCarthy is the one legend I look up to.”
Pictured above: Tshepang Moremi.
Image source: @AmaZuluFootball
