A new football academy for women has been established in the basin, with hopes of offering aspiring players the opportunity to hone their skills, gain valuable exposure, and pursue their dreams of a professional career, all while making a positive impact in the community.
The Excelsior Ladies Football Academy will be launched at the Gustrouw Sports Grounds in Strand on Saturday 1 March, from 10:00 to 12:00, and all interested individuals are welcome to attend.
Chairperson Megan Meyer said the academy’s hope is to register three women’s teams in the South African Football Association (SAFA) league, specifically an u-13, u-16 and a senior team with the main goal being development.
“My dream has always been to establish a women’s football academy. Having played for numerous clubs across Cape Town, I’ve witnessed first-hand how women’s football consistently takes a back seat. Sponsorship, coaching and opportunities are disproportionately focused on men’s and boys’ teams. In 2015, I founded the Inferno Ladies team, but unfortunately, due to a lack of infrastructure and support, we were forced to withdraw from the league after two years.”
Meyer now boasts a successful executive team as support structure that shares her vision for the academy.
The executive team comprises Meyer as chairperson, Valdene Southen (junior chairperson), Renaldo Meyer (secretary), Chevan Debiparsad (treasurer), Margo Kalla (registrations officer) and Theresa Mohamed (match secretary).
Elaborating on the academy’s vision and mission, Meyer shared that together they strive to level the playing field, where every female player has the opportunity to create a better future for herself, albeit to improve employability or gain essential life skills through participation, or simply for the opportunity to show their mettle.
“Our philosophy is to foster an environment of good sportsmanship where players and teams can learn, compete, and enjoy soccer, developing a lifelong passion for the sport. We aim to enhance not only soccer skills but also crucial life skills like leadership, teamwork, discipline, and physical and mental readiness,” she explains.
Asked what makes the academy stand out above the rest, Meyer highlights that the establishment is for women only, with a unique, community-driven approach.
“Our leadership team comprises women from the community with expertise spanning football, education, social development, and community outreach. Our focus extends beyond simply growing women’s football; we strive to cultivate a lifelong passion for the sport while developing essential life skills like leadership, teamwork, discipline and physical and mental readiness.
“We specifically target and nurture talent that often goes unseen. Many families in the Helderberg area, where the average household has five children, struggle to make ends meet, often relying on unstable income from odd jobs. Many children are raised by guardians or grandparents. With limited resources, these families cannot afford extracurricular activities like sports. Our academy provides these girls and women the opportunity to participate, develop their skills, and thrive, regardless of their financial circumstances.”
Bringing their expertise to the field alongside Meyer, who has a CAF D coaching licence and serves as a level 1 soccer referee, is Janine February, who played in the country’s semi-professional Sasol women’s football league, and Nabilah Ebrahim, who holds a Masters qualification in biokinetics.
According to Meyer the academy’s training programmes are structured with a comprehensive approach, encompassing annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly plans. Each session includes identified coaching points and a debriefing with players afterwards. This structured approach ensures consistent development and allows for adjustments based on player feedback and progress.
“We plan to stay relevant by capitalising on the growing opportunities for women’s football both nationally and internationally,” Meyer said. “SAFA’s focus on developing a high-performance u-15 team, future Banyana Banyana, aligns perfectly with our goals. We will leverage SAFA’s development initiatives, including opportunities for players, coaches and referees as well as leadership courses, to ensure our players’ access to the latest training and competitive opportunities.”
The academy, which has partnered with the local Lions Club, invites all aspirant players age eight to 45 years, to join its ranks for the upcoming season starting in April. Registration costs R100. Senior players will be registered with SAFA, juniors in the Tygerberg junior league.
