Inspired by the success of Banyana Banyana, Francina Malinga founded and leads the only women's soccer team in Phiri, Soweto.
Often, the 61-year-old finds herself having to dig into her own pockets to get the unsponsored team of just over 30 players around Soweto for their matches.
Malinga was encouraged through the Nike Her Game initiative in 2021 and partnership with the Soweto Football Association Southern Zone to formulate a girls team.
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The Phiri resident started with seven players and the team has grown up to 30, with ages ranging from players as young as 10 years old up to 22.
"I started with seven girls from these teams in the Southern Sone [league). The more we trained, more girls started pitching up. Little girls would come to me and say 'we've waited years to have a girls soccer team. There are netball teams and boys soccer teams but there was no girls soccer team'," explains Malinga.
"I didn’t even know what to call them. I first named the team Southern Zone Ladies then I changed the name Community Ladies Development."
Among the many things she loves about coaching the young girls, Malinga reveals what brings her the most joy is seeing the young girls develop skills from playing soccer.
"When I look at the team, what makes me happy the most is seeing kids change and develop and to see the become better young ladies, develop better interactions and skill since as public speaking. The best thing for me has been seeing that progress. to such extent that they feel like my own children. We have that great relations."
One of the major challenges Francina Malinga, is the struggle of getting the girls to their matches.
"The big challenge has been transportation, we play at different places across Soweto and to get the girls to the stadium every weekend is a challenge,"
"We normally rely on parents from small fare to transport the kids, but some parents don't even have that and it's the reality. The girls love football and will all pitch up for the match anyways and I can't send them back home. So, very often I dig in my pockets for the team's travelling.
"Banyana are biggest motivation. That’s what I want the team to play in the Gauteng Development League, where the together big teams play.
"I think in future even Banyana will look for players in the GDL and so it would be great to get our players in there. My dream is to see these players playing for professional teams."
