Meet Bruno Kalonji of Kalonji Soccer Academy in Lilburn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruno Kalonji.

Bruno, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Kalonji Soccer Academy officially started in 2014, but the heart of Kalonji Soccer Academy grew when I first came to America with only my sister. We came to America to escape the war in Congo. Many people made my transition to America possible. One of the most profound ways I remember is my soccer coach in high school who used soccer to not only get me involved in a sport but to show me he cared. My soccer coach gave me soccer shoes when he noticed that I showed up to practice in boots. From that time forward, I knew one day, I would also use soccer as a way to not only develop quality players but to help those who did not have the means to help themselves.

Soccer created an opportunity for me to play professionally and then begin my career as a coach. Coaching is my heart. I have an extensive background in coaching, and it was during my time coaching at Georgia Perimeter College that I began to have the idea to start my own club. I wanted to start a club that would not only develop some of the best players in the Atlanta community but would also service the Clarkston community. Clarkston is home to several families and children who do not have the money or the funds to help themselves. My vision was to have a soccer club that would create opportunities for kids from all backgrounds, whether rich or poor, to grow both as soccer players and as individuals.

Finally, in 2014, I stepped away from other coaching commitments and I started my own club, Kalonji Soccer Academy was not easy, and I spent many nights sleeping in my sister’s basement as I developed this business. But I knew, I could not give up on this dream. KSA started small, just a few teams, but each year it kept growing.

Since then, we have been able to service approximately 200 kids a year from Clarkston. Not only do we train these children, we aim to provide transportation to and from practice as well as feeding them. KSA has quickly become a well-respected club in Georgia. Our KSA teams have excelled in tournaments, won several state cup titles, and have placed a wide variety of players in college soccer programs or on professional soccer teams, This past year we had our first KSA team, our u14 Pro-Profile team qualified for Nationals. But, despite all this success, one of my biggest joys is the KSA environment that has developed. We teach our teams to serve and respect each other, to help elevate each other, to support each other on and off the field. Everyone at KSA is equal regardless of how rich or poor they are. We are all family, KSA family.

I look forward to seeing how the KSA family continues to grow and every day, I am reminded how blessed I am to do be doing what I love and hopefully giving back to the community in some small way.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like with any business, it has not always been a smooth road. There have been various obstacles that have arisen in our journey as KSA.

Some of those struggles have been financial because we do sponsor several kids that do not have the resources to pay for training, their uniforms or transportation to practice or games. It’s been hard to find a source of stable funds to keep bringing in kids that have no financial way to pay for training and provide them training as well as food. We purchased a van that picks up as many kids as possible for training. Even to this day though we wish we could do more.

It was not easy to find fields to rent to train on. We were not able to get a free field to practice on like most clubs get as an association. Instead, we had to rent from the Gwinnett County to have field space to practice on.

It was also difficult to get going at first because some other clubs did not initially want to vote us into Georgia Soccer because of the politics of soccer; strong competition in other clubs is not always welcome.

But we are grateful for our struggles because we know it has made us become the club we are today. You don’t grow without a struggle.

Kalonji Soccer Academy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Kalonji Soccer Academy is all about the kids and our program ran by Kalonji Family Foundation, is a not for profit 503c that offers programs for children and adults to instill confidence through increased discipline, health and education.

While most soccer clubs are designed to help children build soccer skills, get them off the street and provide children with something to do, we at Kalonji soccer believe we have a much higher calling.

We want to instill in the next generation of soccer players the notion that if they set their mind, believe in themselves and work hard, they can achieve their dreams.

In addition to building soccer skills, shaping our children’s health and guiding them through their scholastic aspirations, we create a social environment for both parents and their children that promote increased confidence through acquired values and principles and through mentorship.

We believe that talent alone is not always enough to achieve the highest level of potential.

We believe that a higher level of success is not predetermined by circumstances or wealth, but instead, we believe that with hard work, determination, perseverance and discipline, one can reach their highest potential.

We focus on instilling values and principle that promote discipline and teaches hard work.

We are committed. We do not limit our goal to only winning championships and developing athletes. Because we are an academy, we use principles of soccer to teach skills that better prepare our athletes for their journey through life.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is the ability to help another person achieve their goals. We want to help kids become good soccer players as well as good individuals with good character and work ethic on and off the soccer field. We are looking to help as many as possible to achieve their dreams for a better future through soccer. We have helped some already but we want to help many more.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kalonjisoccer.com

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