As a narrative to show that girls do run the world, Bantwana College NPC offers a space for local girls to live out their passions through the game of football.
Coach Theo Buttress started the football club in 2017 with only 15 girls. After Covid-19 held back the club’s plans to take selected girls to a scholarship programme in the USA, this year is a second chance to make those dreams a reality.
Eleven girls who range from the ages of 13–22 have been selected in collaboration with Dream Team Soccer Foundation and John Barata, who is the most decorated and accomplished football coach in the USA.
The main purpose of this tour is to get the girls exposed to international football in hopes of getting selected to attend school and play.
Among the selected girls is 22-year-old Dandeline Phillips who devotes herself to the team in hopes of getting selected for the scholarship programme.
“I am extremely excited because its a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not many can be this fortunate and we are so lucky to have a coach who believes so much in us,” she said.
With the help of his assistant coach Ursula Soombur, they prepare the girls to participate in tournaments such as the Local Football Association (LFA) and the Johannesburg Regional League.
“The girls playing in such leagues expose them to a higher performance skill of women’s football so they know what to expect forthcoming to the USA trip. We have qualified coaches with the South African Football Association. As part of our educational programme, we try to raise funds so we can give the girls a chance to get their coaching or referee qualifications,” Theo said.
They will depart on March 28 and return on April 14.
