SPORT: Two Tuks students to represent Banyana at World Cup
A year ago Holweni captained the national under-17 women's team at the World Cup in Uruguay before being promoted to the under-20 team en route to being called up to Banyana Banyana this year for a clash against the US.
TuksSport High School boasts something that no other high school in South Africa can.
Two of its learners will represent South Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France from 7 June.
Sibulele Holweni and Karabo Dhlamini, were called up to Banyana Banyana, a fact their coach Sheryl Botes said proves once again that the South African Football Association (Safa) Girls Soccer Academy programme at Tuks is working.
Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk, and Africa’s foremost female football player for 2018, Thembi Kgatlana, are academy graduates.
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Botes had predicted in February that Holweni would make the national team, describing her as “an exciting player who can think on her feet”.
She also got quite excited talking about Dhlamini.
“The very first moment I saw her dribbling I knew she is the real deal,” she said.
“Apart from her utter discipline and hunger to be the best, she is a left-footer, and that is a definite asset to any player.”
Botes does not want to make a big thing of the academy’s success, saying that they are merely fulfilling a mandate given by Safa.
She attributed their success to discipline, and judging by the way she said the word, she undoubtedly writes in block letters and ends it with a few exclamation marks.
But she is being modest. One of the reasons the likes of Holweni and Dhlamini get to play for Banyana Banyana at such a young age is her 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,” she explained.
“The goal I set myself is to identify at least one exceptional player, a rough diamond, every year.”
Dhlamini, who has played for Banyana Banyana five times already, said her “journey” began when she was seven years old playing football with the boys in the streets of Tembisa. Even though the boys were stronger and more robust, she continued to play in boys’ teams for a few years.
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She admits it was tough playing with the boys, “but I enjoyed every minute”.
“I think that is how my passion for football developed.”
A year ago Holweni captained the national under-17 women’s team at the World Cup in Uruguay before being promoted to the under-20 team en route to being called up to Banyana Banyana this year for a clash against the US, the first of her two caps.
The two will team up with fellow local, Tuks player, Mapaseka Mpuru on the trip to the World Cup.
The tournament ends on 7 July when the world champions will be crowned.
Photo:Reg Caldecott
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