Victorious local lass sticks it to the boys

AFTER a attending a football coaching clinic last year, Cordelia Govender, is one of the well known faces in SAFA Chatsworth’s junior football circles.

The 12-year-old completed her first season of club football in style last week.

Her work rate, speed and ball skills have been some of her defining traits when turning out for Bayview United’s boys Under-13 team during the season. Her club coach Trevino Naidoo says Cordelia is one of the first names he writes when penning his team sheet.

Not only has her all-round contribution helped her team claim the Under-13 league trophy unbeaten, she also played a starring role in the club’s cup triumph last weekend.

Bayview United beat the Montford Heights Under-13 team 3-2 in Safa Chatsworth’s junior cup final match, played at the Chatsworth Stadium.

“My instruction to Cordelia (Govender) for the final was to hold the ball and lay it into the path of other advancing players, and she played her role.”

“Having come through our club’s development ranks, she was one of the players drafted into my squad for the season because of her impressive showing,” said Naidoo.

“My teammates made it easy for me to fit into the all-boys team. Players from the other teams are usually surprised to see me in the side. I sense they get offended playing against me, especially when they lose,” said Cordelia.

Scoring goals is what she loves the most about football and hopes to improve on the five she scored this season.

Speed, intelligence and the ability to dribble when required, is what she describes as her strengths.

The Coedmore Primary School pupil is eligible to play another season of Under-13 football in the new season. With greater opportunities available to females in the sport, Cordelia has hopes of making football her profession.