Grass-root level soccer girls’ coach’s passion

COACHING for Patricia Taylor goes beyond her passion for soccer, it is also about being a part of a changing landscape in the country for the sport.

Having recently taken up the helm of the newly formed girls’ team of the Bayview Football Club, this coach carries a wealth of field experience and theoretical knowledge. Taking up the sport from the age of just nine, little did Patricia know that the sport would become her life.

“I played with my brother and his friends because at the time, women’s football was not recognised. I started playing for a team in 1996, it was a Wentworth-based team called Chelsea Ladies Football Club and in the 2000s, I played for Crusaders Football Club, there were younger girls on the team, so I was a player and coach and ended up being an assistant coach. I was with that team for about 15 years,” she said.

The need to constantly improve on her coaching skills was the reason she’s taken Safa (South African Football Association) courses and others such as the KMVB from the Netherlands to boost her coaching knowledge.

And while she never got the opportunity to play at league, she believes her position allows her to inspire greatness.
“My biggest wish for my girls is to first see them succeed academically because that for me is more important than sports and then to see them representing our country at a national level.

“I also want to pass on my knowledge to them as a younger generation. The most rewarding thing for me would be to see the girls prosper,” she said.

Patricia’s decorated credentials include coaching and coordinating soccer at Grosvenor Girls’ High School for the past eight years and being a manager and a selector for the KZN High Schools’ Football Association for the U16s, where those who are selected get to represent the province in Johannesburg and get to mingle with the likes of Banyana stars.

“It’s really a good steppingstone for the girls to know where they are headed and that there’s actually a future in football.”

Asked what she loves most about the game she answered, “You can express yourself freely on the field and I love that I’m contributing to changing the football landscape in the country by being part and parcel of the journey in women’s soccer, mainly at grassroot and development – which I love the most. I also enjoy being a problem solver for my team because as a coach, you generally become a mother, a nurse, and a psychologist – basically, an all-rounder, because you have a lot of children, come to you with other problems besides soccer issues.

“You then have to be at their level in terms of being a parent. I’ve also done a first-aid course to help should anything happen, to know what to do and how to help them,” she said.

She thanked her mentor, Gordon Forbes-Harding for leading her in the path of coaching. Her biggest concern about the nationwide lockdown currently is the drop in fitness levels her players will take, but they are in constant communication and has advised them to do exercises in and around their homes.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. For any comments or queries, contact the National Group Editor, Irma Green at irma@caxton.co.za or the Legal Adviser, Helene Eloff at  helene@caxton.co.za.

DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 876 3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.

To receive our free newsletter click here

(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)