Makhala Jakobo is a Bianca Academy Head Coach, a team that forms part of the Sasol League Lichtenburg in the North West.
Jakobo is passionate about developing football in the province as she says that she would like to see one of the players that she coaches make it to the big leagues.
She holds a SAFA D coaching certificate and is also busy with obtaining her SAFA C license.
Apart from coaching, Jakobo holds a BCom Accounting Degree and is a professional teacher at a local high school.
Speaking with Tlamelo Kganakga, Jakobo chats more about her journey and what can be done to improve football from grassroots level in the North West Province.
Jacky, thank you for chatting to us. Please tell us about yourself and where you are from.
I am Makhala Franjelina Jakobo. I was born and raised in a very small town named Clocolan in the eastern Free State by a single mother and both my grandparents. I am the first child of two girls and I am also a mother of two girls now.
In 2006, I came to North West where I joined the NWU Mafikeng campus after completing my matric. I hold a BCom Accounting degree. I am a teacher by profession at a local high school.
When and where did your love for sport begin?
My love for sport began at the age of 9 where I would play street soccer with boys. That’s when I started falling in love with football, but the sport was less played by ladies. I ended up playing netball and doing athletics both in primary and high school. Even in my matric year in 2005, I was still participating in sport.
Who are some of the sportswomen you admire and why?
Bongiwe Msomi, the SPAR Proteas captain because even at her age she still fights for the country and she shows determination throughout. Thembi Kgatlana because she is dedicated and an ever hard working player. She inspires me and she is a player whom our young players can look up to for motivation. She brings hope that we can make it in South African women’s football.
You coach a Sasol League side, Bianca Academy. Please tell us about the team.
Bianca Academy is a football academy which was established in 2005 under the leadership of Ntate Kgotso Bianca Manjinja. It is situated in Lichtenburg in the North West province in Ngaka Modiri Molema region. The team has 7 divisions of boys U/13 /15/17/19 and a senior team which participate in the regional league, as well as the U19 women’s team that participate in the regional women’s league.
The other division is the senior women’s team which competes in the Sasol Provincial league. The other divisions competes in local football on a weekly basis. Bianca is a team which believe in football from grassroots level. The team has produced number of players who were part of provincial teams both boys and girls. The team also have 9 coaches who hold coaching certificates including women. Our objective is to produce at least a player who will play in the PSL one day.
Where would you like to see the team in the next three years?
I would like to see the Sasol women’s team playing in the National league and also have a player who plays in one of the development teams or SAFA development.
What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
The main challenge I have come across that even today still come across is the one of men having the mentality that football is for men only. I overcame it by telling myself that as an individual I should believe in myself and never give up on what I love and I know I can do. And, with the support that I get from my other coaches and the belief that they have in me made me to conquer.
The other challenge that I came across was that of talent not being discovered at an early age by the correct people or people with more knowledge in sport.
Also lack of support from other stakeholders e.g parents. This will be improved by involving them in meetings. Giving out reports on the team activities and invitation to such activities.
What do you think of the state of women’s football in the North West Province and how do you think it can improve?
The state of our women’s football still needs lot of improvement because we now have a team that plays in the national league, and it seems to not be doing well. We don’t have a players who play for Banyana Banyana from our province and other national divisions. All this can be improved by working together as teams in order to achieve this and have a common motive. And again, it can be improved by having a provincial academy which focuses mainly on developing and nurturing young talent from as early as 7 years old.
What are some of your career highlights?
I helped my school with preparing the finance books for auditing. In 2019 I completed the SAFA D License coaching certificate and busy with the SAFA C License, like you said I’m a SASOL Women’s team coach.
Currently I am the U17 girls school sport provincial coach, as I have said I am a teacher by profession. In February this year, I was the coach of u15 girls school sport provincial where we played at National School Sport in Bloemfontein. This was my first time being the provincial coach and managed to obtain position 4 out of the 9 provinces.
What’s your greatest career ambition?
I would like to see myself one day being a coach at any national team or one of the PSL teams and also having coached one player who plays in the PSL.
I would also like to have a women’s team back in my hometown, Clocolan which plays in the competitive level as there is none thus far.
If you could coach anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would coach in America because they have the largest football in the world, and it is the most successful team internationally and are ranked number 1 in the world.
What’s your advice to aspiring women who want to get into sport?
I would say believe in yourself as an individual. Have a positive attitude. Be disciplined everywhere. Have commitment and dedication towards what you want to achieve. Be a hard worker and have lot of knowledge of what you are doing and what you want to achieve. Accept criticism and be mentally strong.
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