'World Cup' for grannies banishes soccer stereotypes in South Africa

Record ID: 1717396

  • Title: 'World Cup' for grannies banishes soccer stereotypes in South Africa
  • Date: 28th March 2023
  • Summary: TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 26, 2023) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF ELDERLY WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER CROWDED STADIUM STANDS VARIOUS OF ELDERLY WOMEN IN AUDIENCE WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER VIEW OF GAME FROM BEHIND NET WOMAN SCORING GOAL, CHEERING WOMAN RUNNING ONTO FIELD TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 25, 2023) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF FLORA BALOI, HAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER, READING TO GRANDSON (SOUNDBITE) (English) FLORA BALOI, VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER, SAYING: “I am a striker. I play position eleven. For me to strike, I feel good when I strike, and even with my inner emotion I strike. I strike physically and inside me, so a lot of toxins come out of me when I am striking.” VARIOUS OF BALOI READING TO GRANDSON (SOUNDBITE) (English) FLORA BALOI, VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER, SAYING: "It helped me, because I was on arthritis treatment and I was going to have another operation. So I did not go for another operation. I am no longer taking the pills for the pains. After exercises, I just sleep. I sleep peacefully." TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 24, 2023) (Reuters) BALOI WATCHING VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC TEAMMATES TRAIN VARIOUS OF WOMEN IN SOCCER UNIFORMS STRETCHING AND DOING JUMPING JACKS TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 25, 2023) (Reuters) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FLORA BALOI, HAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER, SAYING: "At this age, at my age I think if I was not in this sport I would have been confined to a wheelchair.” TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 26, 2023) (Reuters) WOMAN IN LOCKER ROOM HELPING VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER PUT ON GLOVES VARIOUS OF WOMEN PUTTING ON CLEATS VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER KICKING BALL WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER AUDIENCE VIEW OF GAME FROM BEHIND NET (SOUNDBITE) (English) FLORA BALOI, VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC PLAYER, SAYING: “I am so excited because the people who we are playing against, they seem to be younger than us and they are having speed. So as long as they beat us 3-2, ah, we are going there! We are going to beat them!” WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER ELDERLY WOMAN IN AUDIENCE WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER WOMEN IN AUDIENCE WOMEN PLAYING SOCCER (SOUNDBITE) (English) MO KELLY, PLAYER ON TEAM VISITING FROM THE UNITED STATES, SAYING: “We love it. It means so much to us. It’s a community, it makes us healthy, and we know that they want the same thing. So, we are so excited to be here to meet all the people in Africa.” VHAKHEGULA VHAKHEGULA FC TEAM ARRIVING AT TOURNAMENT CARRYING SOUTH AFRICAN FLAGS AMERICAN TEAM ARRIVING MOZAMBIQUE TEAM ARRIVING ELDERLY WOMEN CARRYING TROPHY
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2023 10:07
  • Keywords: africa elderly elders grandparents grannies human interest human led feature oddly enough soccer south africa southern africa sport
  • Location: TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: TZANEEN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Africa,Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA001047627032023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Sporting red jerseys and matching cleats, the 'grannies' of South Africa's Vhakhegula Vhakhegula soccer team jumped for joy as one of their own scored a deciding goal against a team visiting from the United States.
    An adoring crowd of hundreds erupted with applause.
    It was the first day of the Grannies International Football Tournament in Limpopo province, and this team - like the others - was made up of women aged 55 and over. Vhakhegula means 'grandmother' in the Tsonga language spoken in South Africa. 
    Flora Baloi, 66, started playing in 2017 after suffering from severe arthritis. 
    "At my age I think if I was not in this sport I should have been confined in a wheelchair," she said between bouts of reading to her grandchildren ahead of the tournament.
    "I strike physically and inside me, so a lot of toxins come out of me when I am striking," she said, pumping her fist.
    Now she said she no longer needs medication, as the exercise keeps her physically and mentally fit. When not practicing with the team she watches soccer on TV with her husband, and spends time with her five grandsons. 
    The tournament, nicknamed the Grannies Soccer World Cup, is the first of its kind hosted by Vhakhegula Vhakhegula. The team was formed in 2007 to improve the health of older women, and it led to the creation of similar teams across the country. 
    The four-day tournament saw 32 teams compete, including nine from South Africa and 23 from abroad. 
    Wearing blue tracksuits and waving their national flag, the ladies of Vhakhegula Vhakhegula jogged into the stadium to cheers ahead of their match against team USA. Teams from other countries carrying flags of their own weren't far behind.
    Those who travelled the farthest, however, were the teams from France and the United States. 
    "We love it. It means so much to us. It's a community, it makes us healthy, and we know that they want the same thing," said U.S. player, 64-year-old Mo Kelly. 
    (Production: Siyabonga Sishi; Sisipho Skweyiya)
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