University of the Western Cape: Premier Skills for She-Bobo coaches

The Premier Skills programme is an initiative between the British Council South Africa and the English Premier League. The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

This junior league for girls will create a platform for talent to shine on the soccer field, but is also an opportunity for their coaches to learn new skills.

The teams come from diverse communities across the Cape Town Metropole.
The Premier Skills programme coaches


This is all about levelling the playing field, and the coaches were eager to learn more about how they can upskill the girls, and along the way, hone their own skills.

Errol van der Byl is the coach of Blikkiesdorp United FC, which has 150 junior players in various teams.

“This programme means a lot to me because I am always experiencing different challenges with coaching,” said Van Der Byl.

“I am always keen to gain more experience and learn new skills because you work with children from different backgrounds every day.”

Azeezah Gool from Hanover Park is a coach for the Cape Flats Sports Academy. She has just started her coaching career and is keen to learn as much as she can.

“I am learning so much about how to work with the kids, and we just needed this experience from this programme, and it’s helping us a lot,” said Gool.

Shannon Mills, a coach at Salt River Blackpool FC, said: “I have been on a coaching course before… but there is always more to learn”.

“This course, presented by Premier Skills, is a bit different from the regular courses offered by the SAFA facilitators, so I was very keen to see their take on grassroots and junior football,” she added.