Forget overpaid footballers with colossal egos and ridiculous hairstyles. A week ago, Victoria Primary School showcased some of Grahamstown’s rising football stars in their own world cup and they sure could teach
the pros what the game is all about.
Forget overpaid footballers with colossal egos and ridiculous hairstyles. A week ago, Victoria Primary School showcased some of Grahamstown’s rising football stars in their own world cup and they sure could teach
the pros what the game is all about.
The house tournament, which formed part of Victoria Primary’s 60th anniversary celebrations, gave the girls a chance to show their enthusiasm for the game, both on and off the field.
Kitted out proudly in bright house colours, blowing vuvuzelas and singing victory songs at the top of their voices, the girls would have put supporters of the country’s clubs to shame.
The girls were as impressive on the field as they were off it, with a few players displaying remarkable skills and knowledge of the game despite having never played the game on a competitive level.
“I think we’ve got some natural talent,” said Michelle Rafferty, organiser of the event and a teacher at the school.
“The girls have learnt the rules how to take a throw-in and the offside rule so they can follow a game when they see it,” she added.
The principal of the school Christine Jones was equally impressed with the girls’ performance and participation.
“Some of the girls have enormous talent and they’ve really shown lovely spirit,” she said. Kevin Rafferty, who refereed all the games, agreed that they have a keen interest in playing football, including the quirks associated with the modern version of the game.
“You can see they’ve been watching their stars playing on TV because the performances of the day had to be the celebrations after scoring a goal,” he laughed.
As enjoyable as it was watching the girls play, the event was a sad reminder of how little opportunity is afforded to women interested in playing football because of a lack of infrastructure and resources dedicated to the women’s game in South Africa.
Like many other girls’ schools, Victoria Primary does not play football as a school sport and for many of the girls who shone on the field last Friday; the game will be limited to exhibition events such as these because there are no entry levels for young women to hone their skills and talents at a competitive level.
The Soccer World Cup might prove, however, to contribute positively to the development of the women’s game and encourage girls like those who enjoyed playing at Victoria Primary last week to further their participation in the sport.
Kevin Rafferty, also a former professional footballer, felt that a tournament like this was a step in the right direction, especially in the run up to the tournament.
“It was wonderful to see the girls play and I think they are aware that something big is happening in the country,” he said. “There aren’t many opportunities for women, but this is how it starts”.
