Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Rhoda Mulaudzi and Andile Dlamini will be aiming to stamp their authority with the Mamelodi Sundowns youth development side as the inaugural edition of the Volkswagen (VW) Vaya Cup soccer tournament take center stage from 9 – 11 December 2022 at the University of Witwatersrand.
The three Banyana Ba Style players who recently clinched the Hollywoodbets Super League title for the third year in a row have been training hard with their youngsters who are part of the eight under-16 girls’ soccer teams battling it out for the first-ever VW Vaya Cup.
Andile who is the Development goalkeeper coach for the girls has hailed the level of preparations ahead of the highly anticipated tournament.
“Everything has been going on smoothly and the girls have been responding to the various training drills. I must commend the team spirit among the girls as well as the excitement they are feeling ahead of the tournament. As a goalkeeping coach, I am pleased with the high level of competitiveness within the team,” said the Sundowns Ladies goalkeeper.
The VW Vaya Cup Tournament which is part of the ongoing commitment to drive youth soccer development in South Africa will also feature 16 under-13 boys’ soccer teams vying for the top prize.
Previously known as the VW Junior Masters Tournament, the VW Vaya Cup provides a platform for young boys and girls to develop and showcase their soccer talents, while also developing meaningful life skills such as discipline and teamwork.
Having enjoyed huge success between the sticks, Dlamini describes what it means to be on the touchline dishing out instructions to the youngsters.
“One of the most exciting things about being a coach is the awareness of having a team who depends on you for instructions and inspiration. Thankfully, I have gained so much at Mamelodi Sundowns and it is a privilege for me to mentor the future stars of this great club. This tournament is a perfect opportunity for us (including Andisiwe and Rhoda) to put into practice all that we have gained as players. Kudos to Volkswagen for their efforts in nurturing the youth and shaping the future of football,” Andile concluded.
This winner of this year’s inaugural tournament will clinch the coveted VW Vaya Cup as well as team prizes. The winning girls and boys team will also attend a bespoke international training camp in 2023 sponsored by Volkswagen.
We wish the young ones all the best in the tournaments over the weekend. You know what you should do….just emulate your senior team and bring back the trophies