The Joys of the Beautiful Game

 

 

 

“Goy”, that is how my family described me, after they became aware of my taking a liking to soccer – a girl who acted like a boy.
 

Even at the tender age of 12 I have to say that I was a little offended at the implication that soccer was meant to be played only by boys.

 

In fact, as a child growing up, in what I thought was the progressive 80’s, sport in general was still considered to be somewhat ‘unlady-like’.

 

Mine, was a similar case to the one of Megan Keung, my team-mate and rising soccer star, at Panorama Football Club.

 

 

 

Born in 1986, Megan much preferred to kick a ball around with her older brother, than play with dolls and tea sets, as was expected of young ladies.

 

It was in 1999 that she joined her brother’s football team at Linhill Celtic, close to where she grew up, since there were no established girls’ soccer teams.

 

She became the first and only girl at the club to be selected to play in a boys’ team and made the starting line-up for 15 out of the 20 games they played that season.

 

During one game in particular, Megan scored her first goal, which happened to be the winning goal that sent her team into the finals of a cup tournament!

 

The boys were rough though, and under the advice of her mother who feared for her safety, Megan had to stop playing soccer at the end of that season, even though she was voted “Most Promising Player.”

 

Being a natural athlete, Megan went on to excel at other sports during high school, but soccer was her true passion. Although she didn’t manage to find a girls’ team to play for, she attended all her brother’s and father’s soccer matches, and kicked around with the boys on the sidelines before and after games.

 

In 2003, she was spotted by a staff member from (the then) Rand Afrikaans University, and was asked to play for their ladies’ team, who played in the established Sanlam League. All the practice she did on her own made someone take notice of her talent!

 

After playing for RAU for the next two years of high school, Megan was offered a sports bursary to continue playing for the university after matric. Her soccer career blossomed steadily after that and she went on to play at national level for her age group!

 

She currently plays soccer six days a week and is happy to be doing what she loves most.
For some of us, like Megan, sport is not merely just an extra-curricular activity or a way to keep fit – it is a way of life.

 

 

Megan’s story proves that against all doubts and obstacles, self-belief, dedication, perseverance and hard work eventually pay off. We embrace our femininity, and it is a beautiful life, playing the beautiful game!