Women’s Randburg football day
MALANSHOF –Female football thrived during the Randburg Football Club open day.
The Girls’ Open Day held on 28 November was organised by RCFLA (Rand Central Football Local Association) in conjunction with all local football clubs at Randburg Football Club.
Some of the clubs that participated were Crusaders AFC, Randburg AFC, Florida Park AFC, Emmarentia Football Club and Wits Football Club. Greg Green, vice chairman RCLFA, Women and Girls’ Convener and long standing girls’ football development guru, has been working tirelessly in the structures of South African Football Association (Safa) for the last 8 to 10 years in developing girls’ football.
In the process he has been producing successful players as feeder into the Safa female structures.
Different coaches from Randburg, Old Parks and Crusaders supported the event by sacrificing their time to assist with football drills and imparting some valuable skills and experience to the girls.
Michael Rogers, Roger Niken, Leah Knott, Tyroin Knot, Nick Fortar, Jonathan Snyman and Theo Buttress are all from RAFC, while Johan Nieuwenhuys is from Old Parks.
A total of 50 female athletes attended and some came from as far as Soweto and included the entire girls’ junior team from Wits who arrived all kitted out in their football wear.
“All of this would not have been possible if we did not have anyone doing our admin for us, and we need to thank Kim Greeg (Crusaders) and Marti Nieuwenhuys (Old Parks) for assisting on the day,” said Buttress.
He added that they had the privilege of having Janine van Wyk, Banyana Banyana Captain to talk to the girls and to inspire them to achieve great heights in women football. She stuck around for some photographs and autographs. Van Wyk is a role model for the girls and never refuses to assist in the development of girls’ football, whether it is at RAFC or RCLFA.
“Van Wyk has been affiliated to some of our officials for the past year now and the relationship has improved to such a degree that Janine has offered to come down to do some training and coaching with the girls when she is not at National Football Camp, as the National Team has this year qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio,” explained Buttress.
She was nominated and won the Women’s Sportsperson of the Year 2015, and is doing a lot in support of the development of the game.
Pre-season started 1 February 2016 and registrations at most clubs are in early January 2016.
Details: Randburg Football Club Women and Girls Theo Buttress, theo.buttress@gmail.com or 072 300 1927.
