ABSTRACT Thank you for taking the time to read my CV. I trust that you will read these documents with enthusiasm. I look forward to a favourable response to these documents and to a long and productive working relationship with you and your company. DIMITRI ATHANASOPOULOS CURRICULUM CEO JACOBA FC SINCE 2010 VITAE

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240,

OBJECTIVE Academy To Whom It May Concern: Below is a detailed summary of all my recent achievements and accomplishments to date. I have always had a passion for football, moving out of home at 13 to board here at King Edward VII School in , the school gave me the drive to love and be passionate about sport as it was my turn to when I missed home. Only after school did I become more sports specific and moving into the line of football alone. Football has been in my blood since I was born, knowing I would make a career out of it until I started helping out at schools and coaching the sport after school. My playing career was very short after school at Corithians Black Aces and due to an injury I decided I would peruse a career in football either managing or coaching. We all have to start somewhere so I decided coaching it would be. My Life after this will never be the same as I have only grown with in the sport, starting various youth programs at 5 great schools around Johannesburg and the program is only getting bigger as more schools want to start implementing the program. I then couldn’t stop there and needed more so I then decided to started a football academy in Johannesburg which currently has close to 100 + boys and a SAB team. I trust my below achievements will assist you in helping me continue my career as a football manger within the game. Yours in sports. Dimitri Athanasopoulos

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

DIMITRI’S ACHIEVEMENTS AcademyAND TIMELINE !

2006 • Finished school at Kind Edward VII.

2007 • Study for a year at Varsity College, Business Management.

2008 • Started studying via Unisa B Com Marketing.

2010 • Started Jacoba FC

2012 • Jacoba Academy NPC started and was registered as a non-profit company in 2012. • We started in a community park on Louis Botha Avenue. • Jacoba had close to 80 youth academy players.

2013 • Jacoba Academy NPC moved to Patterson Park Recreation centre. • Started an education centre where we educate the learners on school matters, life skills and football related matters. • Entered 2 teams into the Rand Central Football Association. (under 10 & seniors). • Won the Under 10 League.

2014 • Registered Jacoba Academy NPC is a Non – Profit Company. • Moved football associations into the Greater Mayfair association and entered 14 teams into the league. • Won the u13A, U17A, U19B and senior league this year. • Jacoba Academy NPC got 8 boys selected by the GMLFA regional team. • Got sponsored a bus by a group of ladies called the Baobabes. • Started a school’s youth development program at Pridwin Prep School.

2015 • Dimitri got nominated for an award called “ABSA Captain my Captain” in association with the South African Premier League (PSL), ABSA and SuperSport. • Jacoba Academy NPC entered another 14 teams into the GMLFA League this time winning 6 of the leagues we entered.

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

• Jacoba Academy NPC was now sitting on 180+ youth academy players being educated and Academy playing soccer. • Started a school’s youth development program at King Edward VII Prep School. 2016 • Nominated for Random Act of kindness in association with 702 Talk radio station. • Jacoba Academy moved to a better facility Sandringham High School. • Moved from GMLFA to RCLFA (Rand Central League) • Won the senior league with more than 7 games to go. • Jacoba Academy started a development program at St Johns Collage coaching. • We had one boy in our 1st team representing the U17 National team, being Joshua Mamadou. He represented us in the COSAFA u17 national tournament in Mauritius. 2017 • Jacoba Academy started a development program at King Edward VII School. • We had one boy in our King Edward VII School team, being Bryn Deeley represent us in the U17 National team. • Came 2nd in the St Peters Soccer Schools festival with St Johns School. • Jacoba Academy assisted the South African national under 20 team in Zambia as the Performance analyst where we managed to win the tournament. Implemented a coaching methodology for the following age groups – under 12,13,15,17 and Under 19.

2018 • Won the St Davids School Soccer festival with King Edward VII School. • Won the St Peters School Soccer festival with King Edward VII School. The above has never happened in the history of the tournaments to win back to back. • Won the u15 RCLFA League. • Placed second in the U15 RCLFA Cup Final. • Jacoba FC bought a clubhouse in Orange Grove to house players from other provinces and players from Johannesburg that live in bad conditions that are looking for football as their way out of a previously disadvantage background. 2019 • SA HERO Awards winner 2019. • Nominated for Lead SA 2019. • Currently sitting second in the 2019/2020 SAB League

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

Academy

EDUCATION

DEGREE • 2007 • VARSITY COLLEGE – UNISA • Studied B COM Marketing Management from 2007 -2010

FOOTBALL QUALIFICATION • 2011- 2019• SAFA EDUCATION PROGRAM • SAFA D LICENCE • SAFA C LICENCE • DUTCH SOCCER SYMPOSIUM – Presenting the coaching philosophies of Fope de Haan and Rene Meulensteen. • COERVER YOUTH COACHING DIPLOMA • SUPERSPORT YOUTH COACHING CERTIFICATE • OVER 12 YEARS INVOLVED IN COACHING AND MANAGING A FOOTBALL TEAM

Figure 1: Nwankwo Kanu at the PSL awards 2015/2016

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

Academy

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

Academy

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

SKILLS Academy I am really good at man managing people, building relationships and giving people a platform to excel through their departments. I constantly listen to constructive criticism as that determines growth with-in myself and allows me to achieve greater heights through football. I love putting systems in place, working on goals and objectives of all staff members so we can reach our objectives and achieve our goals. I Set clear, but realistic expectations — be it tactics, effort or attitude. For me, this is one of the most important aspects of management, so I don’t neglect it.

I generally speak with every player at every session. I get to know the players, what their ambitions are, and how life is outside of the club. You can’t possibly expect to be a supportive and effective manager if you know nothing about your players.

As a manager it is important to set problems and support your, colleagues and players to find suitable answers. For example, ask them how they would approach defending a set piece from a specific area or how to get organised while outnumbered. Let them break off into smaller groups and encourage them to come up with solutions. It will not only help you to improve, but it also has the added bonus of showing players that you value their input. This is also done with the assistance of the coach.

I am respectful and dignified. I must at all times show the players, the referee, opposition and everyone else for that matter, respect. Some people may throw this back in my face, but as the team’s leader, you have a responsibility to guide your players and the club through both your words and actions.

I most definitely try to praise more than criticise. If I do need to criticise, I try to do so constructively. This way I allow for both staff and players to grow within their wrong doings.

I am always educating myself to want better and to do better both for myself and my colleagues. I enjoy working in the administration department of the club as well setting out the constitution of the club which articulates the Laws and by laws the club will follow. All this in lined with the philosophy and methodology of the club. An organizational structure carries inherent capabilities as to what can be achieved within its frame.

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

NEWSPAPER CLIPPING AcademyS AND RADIO INTERVIEWS!

Figure 2: The Chairman’s chair with Robert Marawa on Metro FM

Figure 3: ABSA Captain my Captain in association with the PSL.

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

Academy

Figure 4: Thursday Night Live with Robert Marawa on Supersport

Figure 5: PSL awards with my uncle John Comitis.

Figure 6: North Eastern Tribune

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

Academy

Figure 7: North Eastern Tribune publishes our unbeaten streak.

I have also been on most radio stations as well as TV programs talking all about football and the achivements I have managed to create in a period of time.

To name a few:

702, Five FM, Metro FM, Chai FM, UJ FM, Cliff Central, Boston Media online Station, SABC 1, Supersport, ANN 7, E News, Brotherhood on SABC 2, DiskiZone.

Jacoba Football Academy P.O. Box 4565 White River, Mpumalanga, 1240, South Africa

RECCOMENDATIONS Academy!

1. Pridwin Prep School St Andrew St, Melrose, Johannesburg 011 788 1116 Mr Selwyn Marx

2. King Edward VII Prep & High School Oak St, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg 011 648 1000 Mr Dugg Shed

3. St Johns College St David Rd, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg 010 492 0300 Mr Adi Norris

4. GMLFA Executive member 2016/17 Sameer 082 378 6780