Vakhegula – these grannies are tough

They are like Banyana Banyana, but have such a lot of enthusiasm and drive, passion, a competitive spirit and are of course many years older than the national team. While Vakhegula is the Xitsonga word for ‘granny’ the elderly female soccer players from Seshego don’t believe in growing old in a “dignified” way but prefer to chase a soccer ball and score goals. They actively pursue a healthy lifestyle, not accepting old age’s boundaries but choosing a fulfilling way of life.
In their free time they might be doing some knitting, sewing or keeping their houses neat as a pin, but on Saturdays, and when they practice, they go all out for that ball,
These ladies are tough cookies, having beaten the Department of Correctional Services offenders’ ladies soccer team 1 – 0 by scoring a penalty goal in Polokwane on Saturday, during the Correctional Services Youth Day celebrations. They were not cut a lot of slack because they were older, and the offenders’ team gave them a hard time, but they took it and held their own admirably against the much younger team. Only one had to leave the field three minutes before the end of the match. Sixty two-year old Sarah Baloyi hurt a muscle during the match on Saturday and hopped of the field, asking for ice to be put on her sprain.
Vakhegula Vakhegula was launched in 2006 in the province by a cancer survivor, Beka Ntsanwisi and there are now clubs based in NkowaNkowa, Senwabarwana, Zebediela, Turfloop, Sebayeng and Seshego.
According to Coach Edward Mapeka there are 24 players in the Seshego club, aged from 45, with the oldest Seshego player being 76 years old.
The oldest Vakhegula Vakhegula player in the province is an 84-year old veteran of the club in NkowaNkowa. “They do it to get rid of illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and so on,” he says. “They exercise regularly and play against each other at least six times a year in round robin matches, just for the fun of it. They are not professional players.”
Some of the Vakhegula Vakhegula players have been overseas, playing in America in the United States Adult Soccer Association‘s Veterans Tournament in 2012 and 2014 and in Brazil and Russia., “Of course it depends largely on sponsorships available and assistance from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture,” Mapeka informed.
The sisterhood is like a family, they run and shout and fight with the other team when not playing themselves. They crack jokes about the other players, leaving them in stitches. Mapeka clearly enjoys coaching the ladies and cheers them on from the side.
Team manager Timothy Madibana’s wish is for more money and support from the business fraternity to assist in forming two teams per district and in the end two strong provincial Vakhegula Vakhegula teams to take on other provincial teams and participate even up to national level. According to Madibana the Grannies will do an outreach with the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture this year to promote healthy participation in sport and mobilise others to participate in activities.

Story & Photo by: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com

Featured Photo: Vakhegula Vakhegula with Coach Edward Mapeka, back left and Captain Annah Kgofelo, front row far right.