Coach Hloni makes waves internationally

For most of the past 15 years, Kharejane (44) has been a regular face on the side of almost any soccer league competition in Khutsong, mostly motivating youngsters to do their best.
However, he had a massive opportunity to trade the dusty dirt grounds of Khutsong for the manicured fields in Italy a few weeks ago. He cracked the nod to coach the Gauteng team that won the soccer section of the Giochi del Tricolore International Sports Games in Italy last month. The games played out in Reggio Emilia from 24 to 30 July.
Teams from 20 countries, including the USA, Russia, Italy, Algeria and Mozambique, participated.
According to Kharejane, he had initially been for an interview for the team’s manager in April, but the judging panel decided to appoint him as a coach instead.
“I didn’t expect it at all, but I am used to coaching, so I gave it my best,” he says.
Upon their arrival on 24 July, the team heard they would already be competing the following morning. That did not stop them, however, and they beat their opponents, the host country Italy, with a score of 7–0. They then beat France 7–0 and played another Italian team from Reggio Calcio 2–1.
“That match was difficult because all the players were tired after staying up late to watch Banyana Banayana the night before,” he says.
Kharejane’s Gauteng team then proceeded to the semi-finals, where they beat a team from Fort Worth in Texas in the USA with a score of 2–1.
“They scored first but then had to defend the whole time,” is how Kharejane described the match.
The Gauteng team came up against yet another Italian team, Falk Galileo, in the finals but ran over these opponents with a score of 7–0, winning the gold medals.
It was only the second time in 20 years that a South African team had managed to win, and the matches were broadcast on SABC2.
“I gave the players the freedom to do everything I taught them during the two-day training camp beforehand. Some people from Khutsong who watched the tournament on TV remarked that they played the same style as the players from Khutsong,” Kharejane laughs.
Kharejane is proud of his latest achievement, which gained him national and international recognition.
“After our match, one of the French coaches remarked that they had five coaches on the bench, and we only had one, and I did not have to shout at the players once,” the always friendly Kharejane laughs.
Since the win, even parents from Ennerdale have been bringing their children to Khutsong for training with Coach Hloni. He currently refers players with potential to the West Youth Academy in Westonaria, where he also coaches.
Kharejane still has his own soccer team in Khutsong after getting involved in the sport’s management when he took over his grandfather’s team, Shamrocks, about 20 years ago.