NEVER TOO OLD FOR GOALS

She believes keeping active is the best way to stay young – so Sarah started a soccer club for grannies

- NOKUTHULA ZWANE-EJIKE

T’S a gloomy Monday morning, but it takes a lot more than a bit of rain to stop this group of grannies from turning up for training. They’re jolly, laughing and chatting as they prepare to jog around the field.

Sarah Shonisane (72) is putting them through their paces at the Muckle neuk sports ground in Pretoria, encouraging her girls to keep going – and considering the oldest “girl” is 81, getting around the field is no mean feat.

The Gogo Shonisane Mamelodi football club is made up of sports-mad older people who love playing the beautiful game and want to stay fit no matter the weather.

The youngest member of the team is 57, the oldest is the 81-year-old running around the track and the newest recruit to Shonisane FC is Jane Bopape (74), who lives in nearby Mamelodi East.

Jane is excited to be here for her first training session and to be part of the team.

“I was inspired by these elderly people, and I wanted to join them,” she tells YOU.

“This is really worth my time.”

Sarah, the team’s founder and defender, is on a mission to recruit new blood for the side, which began in 2010 – the year South Africa hosted the Fifa World Cup.

The pandemic prevented the team from getting together for their thrice- weekly training sessions and old age has also meant a few of the original members of Shonisane FC have passed away.

Although the team is mainly made up of oldies, Sarah isn’t averse to having “youngsters of 35” join the team, she says – everyone is welcome.