Local referee Euzen Mokoena keeps her whistle blowing
Mokoena advised young women and girls to follow their heart's desire and persevere no matter what.
An Mpumalanga-born referee from Wales Village in Bushbuckridge is quickly cementing her name as one of the best female soccer referees in the country.
Euzen Delite Mokoena (30) was recently promoted to the national and international referee level, accredited by the world controlling football organisation, Fifa.
Her journey in this male-dominated industry started in 2013 when there was no one to officiate a match she was at.
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“I just decided to officiate that game. I fell in love with experience of being in charge, hence my journey of refereeing began,” she said.
She nurtured her career by attending a number of refereeing courses in the province. She said she has also learnt from some of the best referees form her area, including Godfrey Mugabi and Lawrence Khoza.
Mokoena’s first televised game was in 2015.
She still have memories of that day.
“I still remember that game as if it happened just yesterday. When I came back home after that game, I found scores of people from my community waiting for me.
“They welcomed me like a royal princess, they ululated, sang and danced as they walked with me all the way from the bus stop to my home, celebrating my achievement of being on TV,” she giggled.
“That is what I loved most about the people from my village. I love their unwavering support and the way they celebrate one another’s success,” she continued.
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Speaking on how the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has affected her career, Mokoena said, “I no longer train as hard as I used to before the pandemic. And believe me, it will be hard to regain my fitness after so much time of doing less training,” she said.
Mokoena is also a proud police officer in the South African Police Service.
She revealed that her patience and spirit of not giving up in life helped her get her current job in the SAPS on track.
“I was undergoing the process of becoming a policewoman in 2017. After I had passed every test, I was shocked when I received a call informing me that I had a hearing problem and could not follow my dreams of becoming a policewoman. Things changed after I consulted with my doctor who did not detect any hearing problem.
“I was only employed after five years of sending my application. I overcame this challenge by not giving up and I have learnt never to give up,” she said.
Mokoena advised young women and girls to follow their heart’s desire and persevere no matter what.
“Nothing comes easy in life. Sometimes you have to sweat a bit before you can enjoy the fruits of your labour. You only becomes a failure once you quit and stop believing in your dreams. Even if you win in life you need to keep on working hard as if you are not winning,” she concluded.
