8-year-old female footballer following in mums footsteps
By Moses P Mwanza | April 12, 2020
Born on 26th June 2011 Veronica Lukote is an 8-year old player who plays for the Football Association of Zambia(FAZ) Southern Province Women’s League side Choma Warriors Academy which is led by Coach Cyprian Muzungu.
Choma Warriors Academy is the log leaders in the current 2020 FAZ Women’s League in Choma District with a 100% winning record in as many games as they have played so far before the league was prematurely stopped because of the Worldwide outbreak of the CoronaVirus (COVID-19).
Lukote is the daughter of former Zambia Women’s National Soccer Team midfielder Rixina Lutaka who is also a player in the same team and interestingly both play in similar positions as a holding and attacking Midfielder.
She has so far featured twice this season, coming on as a super-sub on both occasions for Team Chopicho as they are commonly known amongst the local fans in their home town.
Speaking in an interview with the ZamFoot Crew from her base in Choma, Lutaka said she is happy to see her daughter taking up so much keen interest in football and following her footsteps which helped her to be Disciplined.
In addition to that, she always encourages the young Chopicho queen both on and of the pitch on how she should conduct herself and has so far hailed her behavior and discipline at home.
“I am here today because of football, it taught me to be Disciplined. It also kept me busy and away from bad activities like beer drinking and also staying away from bad company. I love soccer,” Lutaka told the ZamFoot Crew.
This has also helped Lukote to be Disciplined at all times at home because her mother is always encouraging her to be a good child in as much as she loves football.
Whenever she misbehaves at home, I just tell her I will stop you from playing football, and then she will apologize and say, Okay have stopped. So this shows how much she loves football because in a game against Green Bombers she was unused then she really cried when the game ended- Lutaka
“Am glad the coach gave her an opportunity to play and now she got a feel of how the game of football. Both games she has played so far coming on as a super-sub in the second half and she was happy to play,” Lutaka added.
Locally, Lukote is inspired by her mother while she’s internationally driven by Juventus and Portuguese star Christiano Ronaldo.
Choma Warriors’ 8 Year-Old Veronica Lukote has also joined the Stay Home Challenge by doing some workouts under the guidance of her mother Rixina Lukaka who is Former Copper Queens Midfielder & coincidentally team mate with her daughter at Choma Warriors Academy.#StayHome pic.twitter.com/sC2prAFYxm
— Zambia WNT (@Copper_Queens) April 12, 2020
Her dream is to one day play for the Copper Queens by following her mother’s path.
Lutaka is optimistic and hopeful that her daughter will definitely achieve her dreams and the prayer is to see her excel in her football career.
Lukote has since joined the Stay Home Challenge and she’s keeping herself busy by working around with the ball from home under the guidance of her mother.