The girls soccer team from Mahlenga Secondary School near Bronkhorstspruit, 50km east of Pretoria, doesn’t have proper playing grounds, while players come from poverty-stricken homes and have to share soccer boots.

Despite this challenge, the team won a district school soccer tournament last year. Even though the school lacks basic infrastructure, this has not stopped them from extending their soccer achievements to the classroom as the school has been getting 100% matric pass rate for the past three years.

Situated at Sokhulumi village with 562 learners, the school, which was built in 1992, is faced with several infrastructure challenges. The two ladies soccer teams share 13 soccer boots between them while the netball teams use the teachers’ parking lot as a netball court.

A former learner at the school, Given Simelane, 29 ,volunteers his time and soccer knowledge to coach and help co-ordinate sport.

“We do not have sporting fields; we use the community soccer grounds for practice but that also is a challenge because local soccer teams also need to use them.

“Sometimes we don’t get to practice because the ground is full and being used by other people. It is about who gets there first,” Simelane said.

A grade 10 learner said it is difficult to play soccer without boots as the ball is too hard and hurts their feet.

“It is painful, I love playing soccer. We need a sponsor, some of the soccer boots are old and torn but we still win,” she said.

Despite the challenges, the U15 and U17 ladies soccer teams won the local league against other local schools and eventually qualified to go and compete in a regional competion which they also won.

The school borrowed soccerkit from a local club coached by Simelane until they qualified for the Gauteng Championships, where they were given two new soccer kits.

A teacher who did not want to be named said although the school’s conditions aren’t conducive, they make do with the little that they have.

“The infrastructure is not good here, we do not have laboratory and library but as a parent I want the best for these children and we work hard to make the environment better for them,” she said.

Of the 15 classrooms they have, seven are prefab structures which are overcrowded. The classrooms don’t have enough chairs and at times three learners share desks that are meant to sit two pupils.S

GB chair Somkhambi Mahlangu has attributed the success of the school to a good working relationship with the community.

“[But] we need a hall. The grade12s have to go t oa community hall to write exams. Classes are crowded.”