GROWING FOOTY IN AFRICA
The next growth phase of Footy in Africa must include the expansion of the game from South Africa to nearby countries.
These include Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Giving players the opportunity to represent South Africa will be a great incentive for new players to take up the sport.
And given the fact it is possible to drive to some of these countries, it will prove much cheaper than travelling all the way to Australia.
By way of example, the travel time (via bus) to the following countries is below:
- Johannesburg to Maputo, Mozambique: 7 hours
- Johannesburg to Gaborone, Botswana: 5 hours
- Johannesburg to Mbabane, Eswatini: 4 hours
- Johannesburg to Maseru, Lesotho: 5 hours
The African Games are held every four years, organized by the African Union, with approximately 50 countries attending.
Footy was included as a demonstration sport in the 2011 Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. An indigenous team travelled from Australia to play Mozambique in Maputo. The match was played on a soccer field and was a great
success.
Moving forward, our aim is to lobby for the inclusion of Footy 9s as a demonstration sport in the 2023 Africa Games, which will be held in Ghana. This will provide an enormous boost to the game in Africa.
Our initial focus will be on ensuring our senior clubs are successful and sustainable. Once this is achieved, a junior development program will be introduced, so that children who are keen to play have existing clubs that they can join.