At just 12 years old, footballer Lawrence Maharaj proves that a driven and focused mindset can lead to dreams coming true.
Maharaj, who moved to the UK last year, is a former member of 345 FC, an affiliate club programme of Total Soccer, and recently signed with Leicester City FC academy.
Peter Reijn, co-owner and head coach at Total Soccer, told the Compass that Maharaj is physically talented. His mindset, however, is one of his greatest talents, he said.
“He’s somebody that maximises potential and is going to continue to do that. And that’s, I think, what Leicester sees in him. They see somebody who’s this good, but also somebody who constantly will push the ceiling up,” he said.
Friends and family have credited him for his drive and passion for the sport and ultimately hope that he just enjoys playing football, regardless of the results of this achievement.
Elevating youth football
Inspired by a Dutch football vision, Total Soccer has been helping to elevate youth football development in Cayman since its inception in 2017.
Reijn said that maximising each child’s potential and mindset is extremely important to the club. He added that Total Soccer believes in the approach of developing each player individually first, rather than being only team focused.
He added that while playing for the local club can be intense, they ensure it’s also enjoyable for the players. One way this is achieved is by not allowing coaches to yell at players but instead remaining positive and asking them open-ended questions, which helps them to assess challenges that may arise while playing.
With coaches of varying football experience and knowledge, hailing from Cayman to Europe, all players receive a tailored and challenge-based yearly curriculum.
From 2018 to present, the club’s programme has led it to numerous wins against top teams, such as Chelsea, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Manchester City, to name a few.
The 345 FC programme typically runs Monday through Friday in the late afternoon. More information about the club can be found at totalsoccercayman.com or on social media platforms under Total Soccer Cayman.
