Fran strikes and scores at awards

She is a woman of passion, drive and footballing skills of note.

This is Hazeldene’s Fran Hilton-Smith, whose dedication to women’s football was rewarded recently when she received the Ekurhuleni Sport Confederation Presidents Award at the Ekurhuleni Women in Sports Awards.

“I was elated when I received the award,” she said.

“I have dedicated my life to football and I think it was well deserved.”

Fran is a born-and-bred Germiston woman and has lived in her Hazeldene home for the past 40 years.

“I was always interested in football and played from a young age,” she said.

“My father, Geoff Jones, was a great sportsman who played football and was also an SA veteran tennis champion, as well as a veteran golf champion, so I think I got my sporting talent from him.”

As a young woman, Fran played football for then Eastern Transvaal for 10 years.

“I was selected for the national team, but due to apartheid we couldn’t really play many international matches,” she said.

While with the team she was instrumental in setting up the first multi-racial women’s football league for then Eastern Transvaal.

“It was difficult with regard to us finding venues to play at,” she said.

“Today finding facilities for women’s football is still an issue.”

In 2010 she was selected as the coach for national women’s team Banyana Banyana and held the position for two years.

She then became the manager of both Banyana Banyana and the u-20 team, which she held for 10 years, before moving into administration and the development of coaches for SAFA (South African Football Association).

She worked for SAFA for a total of 21 years before her retirement earlier this year.

“I have been passionate about developing women’s football in the country,” Fran said.

“In my time with SAFA I was instrumental in Banyana Banyana qualifying for two Olympic Games, as well as the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year.”

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On the developmental side Fran has helped develop 27 women CAF (Confederation of African Football) coaches and 87 FIFA-qualified women administrators.

In recent years she worked as the assistant technical director of SAFA, as well as the head of women’s football.

“It was hard work, but I loved it,” she said.

In both 2013 and 2015 Fran received the trophy for Outstanding Sports Administrator at the Ekurhuleni Sports Awards.

Off the field, Fran is also an avid musician and she has played for a number of bands, the most notable of which is Basadi (Women of Jazz).

“I play the drums and bass guitar mainly, but can play most other instruments, including the piano,” she said.

“My mother, Hilda, played the organ in church.

“She was extremely talented, and my dad was a singer,” said Fran.

“So my musical ability comes from them.”

Although Fran has now hung up her football boots and retired, she is not slowing down.

“I will still be working on the development of women’s football and be in contact with the coaches.

“I also still have my high-performance centre for girls in Pretoria, which I started 13 years ago, so I am still in touch with that, as well as being a trustee of the South African Women in Sport Foundation, where we develop the skills of sportswomen in the country,” Fran said.

“During my years I have always tried to train Bayana Banyana players or graduates from the high-performance centre into administration to make sure that the players have a future in football.”

Now that Fran is retired she is also enjoying spending time with her grandsons, Tyler (12) and Tristan (10) Benn.

“I spend most of my time with them,” she said.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za.

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