Wearing blue tracksuits and waving their national flag, South Africa's Vakhegula Vakhegula soccer team jogged into the stadium to cheers before their first match against team USA.
It was the first day of the Grannies International Football Tournament in Limpopo and this team — like the others — was made up of women aged 55 and over. Vakhegula means “grandmothers” in the Tsonga language.
“At my age, I think if I was not in this sport I should have been confined to a wheelchair,” said 66-year-old striker Flora Baloi, who started playing in 2017 after suffering from severe arthritis.
Now she no longer needs medication as the exercise keeps her physically and mentally fit. When not practising with the team she likes watching soccer on TV with her husband and spending time with her five grandsons.
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Wearing blue tracksuits and waving their national flag, South Africa's Vakhegula Vakhegula soccer team jogged into the stadium to cheers before their first match against team USA.
It was the first day of the Grannies International Football Tournament in Limpopo and this team — like the others — was made up of women aged 55 and over. Vakhegula means “grandmothers” in the Tsonga language.
“At my age, I think if I was not in this sport I should have been confined to a wheelchair,” said 66-year-old striker Flora Baloi, who started playing in 2017 after suffering from severe arthritis.
Now she no longer needs medication as the exercise keeps her physically and mentally fit. When not practising with the team she likes watching soccer on TV with her husband and spending time with her five grandsons.
The tournament, nicknamed the Grannies Soccer World Cup, is the first of its kind hosted by Vakhegula Vakhegula. The team was formed in 2007 to improve the health of local women and it led to the creation of other granny teams across the country.
The four-day tournament will see at least 15 teams compete, from South Africa and countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Teams have come from as far away as France and the US.
“We love it. It means so much to us. It's a community, it makes us healthy,” said US player Mo Kelly, 64.
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