Safa Academy at Tuks helped with women’s football revival

The Banyana Banyana captain, Janine van Wyk, and Africa’s foremost female football player for 2018, Thembi Kgatlana, share something apart from having the ability to change the outcome of any game at any given moment, that is being both protégées of the Safa Girls Soccer Academy based at Tuks.

The Academy is undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories of South African football. It would actually not be wrong to say that it played a significant role in the revival of women’s football in South Africa leading to Banyana Banyana qualifying for the World Cup.

Of the current Banyana Banyana team competing at the Cyprus Cup Tournament, ten players got to refine their playing skills at the Academy. Four players are in the national under-20 squad and five in the national under-17 team.

Sheryl Botes, head coach at the Academy, mentions that since the Academy’s inception roughly 119 players went on to represent Banyana Banyana. It roughly equates to about eight players per year going on to play for South Africa.

Botes does not want to make a big thing about these statistics as she sees it as the Academy merely fulfilling the mandate given to it by Safa.

“Our role is to ensure we identify and develop young players from all over South Africa so that they are able to give a good account of themselves in international football.”

Botes summarises their success with just one word. It is discipline. Judged by the way she said it, it is undoubtedly written in capital letters and followed by a couple of exclamation marks as well.

“I emphasise a lot to the players that they can be the best if, and it is a big if, they are prepared to buckle down and put in the long hard hours. That requires discipline and a belief in your abilities.

“I prefer to start working with players when they are 13 because for them it is only about being the best they can be. The problem working with older players is that often they have already started to form some bad habits which can be challenging to fix. I also like to work with a five-year plan when coaching players.

In spite of being able to claim been there, done that and got the t-shirt to prove it Botes is still passionate about football as when she played for Banyana Banyana.

“I am blessed with a real passion for football. If I see a talented player with fantastic skill, it puts a smile to my face, and I get that ‘Wow feeling’. It is as if all the challenges there might be fades away. All that matters is to get this ‘Wow player’ to play to the best of their ability. The goal I set myself is to identify at least one exceptional player, a rough diamond, every year.

“To have had the opportunity to work with Thembi Kgatlana was a privilege. I could see from day one that she has what it takes. That hunger and absolute passion made it easy to work with her.”

Botes ascribes the Academy’s success to its holistic approach.

“We make the players realise the importance of a good education. That is why they are all at TuksSport High School where it seems to become contagious to train and study. The Academy is a one-stop shop aimed at helping girls in all aspects of life.

“It has become the norm for most of the players to go to university after they matriculated to further their qualifications as well as their football careers. The Academy is in regular contact with most of the universities to help facilitate the process.

“Another advantage being involved with the University of Pretoria is that the players have access to the best scientific support that is available.”

The former Academy players now playing for Banyana Banyana are Kaylin Swart, Nonthando Vilakazi, Janine van Wyk, Mamello Makhabane, Mphumi Nyandeni, Linda Mothalo, Thembi Kgatlane, Busisiwe Ndimeni, Karabo Dhlamini, Kelso Peskin.