Virginia, located in the Free State, is a small mining town facing economic challenges, including poor service delivery, dilapidated infrastructure, and high rates of unemployment, crime, and substance abuse.
Despite these struggles, the youth in the area have shown a keen interest in various sporting activities. Unfortunately, there are no available facilities for sports, either in schools or within the broader community. Community members have banded together with the South African Police Services and the Department of Social Development to combat crime and substance abuse through sports.
Recently, the YWCA and Bophelong Youth Development hosted the 2nd Annual Nnuku Radebe Games in Virginia, where the newly established St. Anne Combined School excelled, winning trophies in all divisions for the second consecutive time! St. Anne was founded by Julia Nomkhosi Mphike, a 56-year-old teacher with a B Ed Honours Degree in Educational Law and Management. In 2018, she opened two schools in Ward 8, Saaiplaas Virginia: St. Anne’s Primary School and St. Anne’s High School, becoming the first black woman in the Free State to accomplish such a feat.
Both schools are registered with the Department of Education and accredited by Umalusi. They have achieved impressive academic results— in 2024, only one matric learner failed, resulting in a pass rate of 97.3%! Inspired by her passion for sports, Mphike established a sports academy within the school specializing in soccer, rugby, netball, and athletics.
The academy now has an under-23 soccer team and aims to be the next representative team for the Free State in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). St. Anne is currently developing sports grounds and constructing a hostel for players.
Some of the school’s notable achievements include being the SYRAC Under-15 Lejweleputswa and Free State champions, Goldfields Under-13 champions, and the Under-15 Magnificent Wednesday Lejweleputswa and Free State champions, among many others.
Another highlight of the school is rugby player Bunono Dyantji, who was recently selected to play for the Junior Springbok Team! Kgothatso Mokoena and Mphike are among the dedicated women striving to change the narrative in the sports world. They are committed to educating, supporting, and nurturing talents to keep children off the streets and ensuring their gifts are recognized and cultivated to reach new heights!
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