8 May 2018– The South African Football Association (SAFA) will embark on a series of provincial roadshows to scout for talent for the various South African women national teams.
This is a follow up to last year’s women’s football national selections that were successfully carried out in all nine provinces where talent was identified and roped into the junior national teams.
Maud Khumalo and Simphiwe Dludlu, head coaches of the South African U20 and U17 Women’s National Teams will accompany Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis.
Also, in attendance will be the Provincial Technical Officers as well as local CAF A licensed coaches.
“This is a big year for all three women’s national teams and by doing these selection roadshows and talent identification we want to ensure we have seen all the talent that is available in South Africa. Last year we managed to identify some players who are now part of the national teams and we are confident that this exercise will again bear fruit. The thing with national teams is that you have to constantly be on the lookout for talent, and that is why this is a very important outing for SAFA and women’s football in particular,” said Fran Hilton-Smith, Assistant Technical Director of SAFA and HOD Women’s Football.
“Our greatest gratitude goes to Banyana Banyana sponsor, Sasol, as well as the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa for the unwavering support which will help us reach further afield and provide more assistance to players who would otherwise not have a chance to be seen by the selectors.”
The talent search will take place over two days (Saturday and Sunday) in each province – with the first day set for Sasol League games where all the teams will be in action in one venue.
The following day has been set aside for talent identification as well as coaching courses for local coaches.
All three women’s national team’s will be extremely active this year.
The U17s have qualified for the World Cup which will be staged in Uruguay from 13 November to 1 December, the U20s will participate in the Region 5 Games while Banyana Banyana face Lesotho in a 2018 CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier – beyond that they have to prepare for that tournament, which will take place in Ghana in December.
The Senior team will also play in the COSAFA Cup in September where they are the defending champions.
DATES FOR TALENT ID: (venues to follow)
Gauteng 20 May – UJ Bunting Rd, Auckland Park (Combined with SASOL)
North West 27 May
Mpumalanga 3 June
Eastern Cape 10 June
Free State 17 June
Limpopo 24 June
Western Cape 1 July
KwaZulu Natal 8 July
Northern Cape 15 July