compete in Lancaster
Citizen Bank Fields at Progin Park hosted the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) Veterans Cup On July 15, 16 and 17, and South Africa VakhegulaVakhegula aka the Grannies was the featured attraction.
Soccer fanes from all over came to witness the event as teams played games Thursday, Friday and Saturday as part of a whirlwind week. The players who ranged in age from 47 to 69 didn secure funding until the previous weekend, when Los Angelesbased company Herbalife stepped forward with funding for travel.
The team flew out of Johannesburg last Tuesday, landing in Amsterdam after an 11hour flight and then taking off for a 9hour flight to Boston. The team landed at Logan Airport Wednesday, where they were greeted by the Lexpressas, an over40 women team from Lexington who provided housing and transportation for the players.
was a very long trip. We exhausted, said Beatrice Tshabalala, the team youngest player at 47, after Saturday game against Hawaii HKP550. the first time we traveled this type of long distance. Up until today (Saturday), we still tired. There have been a lot of challenges.
One of those challenges aside from the funding was obtaining visas. Beka Ntsanwisi, who founded VakhegulaVakhegula (which translates to Grannies in English) in 2007, had to take out a loan to play for the visas for the 14 players that made the trip.
There were plenty more who would have come to the tournament otherwise. VakhegulaVakhegula is made up of eight teams from several rural villages in Limpopo, the northernmost province in South Africa. Women as old as 84 play for VakhegulaVakhegula.
While founding the team three years ago and getting it to Massachusetts this summer provided plenty of difficulties, Ntsanwisi said Saturday it was worth it.
knew something big would come my way. I still believe something bigger is coming, Ntsanwisi said. took years, and I am proud of it.
The sun was beating down on the field during Saturday match, with the temperature eclipsing 90 degrees. Still, the two teams played a full 90minute game, and VakhegulaVakhegula coaches David Maake and Ntsako Rikhotso were barking out instructions to their players.
Tshabalala who wore a yellow South Africa jersey with 10 on the back in honor of Lionel Messi, the FC Barcelona and Argentina star said she and her teammates were amazed by the Lancaster complex, which features several fulllength soccer fields.
Citizen Bank Fields at Progin Park hosted the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) Veterans Cup On July 15, 16 and 17, and South Africa VakhegulaVakhegula aka the Grannies was the featured attraction.
Soccer fanes from all over came to witness the event as teams played games Thursday, Friday and Saturday as part of a whirlwind week. The players who ranged in age from 47 to 69 didn secure funding until the previous weekend, when Los Angelesbased company Herbalife stepped forward with funding for travel.
The team flew out of Johannesburg last Tuesday, landing in Amsterdam after an 11hour flight and then taking off for a 9hour flight to Boston. The team landed at Logan Airport Wednesday, where they were greeted by the Lexpressas, an over40 women team from Lexington who provided housing and transportation for the players.
was a very long trip. We exhausted, said Beatrice Tshabalala, the team youngest player at 47, after Saturday game against Hawaii HKP550. the first time we traveled this type of long distance. Up until today (Saturday), we still tired. There have been a lot of challenges.
One of those challenges aside from the funding was obtaining visas. Beka Ntsanwisi, who founded VakhegulaVakhegula (which translates to Grannies in English) in 2007, had to take out a loan to play for the visas for the 14 players that made the trip.
There were plenty more who would have come to the tournament otherwise. VakhegulaVakhegula is made up of eight teams from several rural villages in Limpopo, the northernmost province in South Africa. Women as old as 84 play for VakhegulaVakhegula.
While founding the team three years ago and getting it to Massachusetts this summer provided plenty of difficulties, Ntsanwisi said Saturday it was worth it.
knew something big would come my way. I still believe something bigger is coming, Ntsanwisi said. took years,
Spain Soccer Jerseys, and I am proud of it.
The sun was beating down on the field during Saturday match, with the temperature eclipsing 90 degrees. Still, the two teams played a full 90minute game, and VakhegulaVakhegula coaches David Maake and Ntsako Rikhotso were barking out instructions to their players.
Tshabalala who wore a yellow South Africa jersey with 10 on the back in honor of Lionel Messi, the FC Barcelona and Argentina star said she and her teammates were amazed by the Lancaster complex, which features several fulllength soccer fields.
The only such facilities that exist in South Africa are generally reserved for the men national team program, Tshabalala said. Under Ntsanwisi guidance, VakhegulaVakhegula will try and change that.
going to help her to do that, Tshabalala said. is determined and I believe she will make it happen. More than soccer
For Ntsanwisi, soccer is just one form of outreach.
In 2003, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Since then, she has traveled around Limpopo and the rest of South African in an effort to help others stricken by cancer. On top of providing access to healthcare, part of that process is education, as Ntsanwisi said many in her country believe such illnesses to be the result of witchcraft.
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