Celebrating 21 years of the Harmony Virginia Sports Academy

The Harmony Sports Academy, the only youth programme of its kind in South Africa, opened its doors in January 2003 as a multi-disciplinary training and development institution focused on the development of talented sportsmen from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. The project was started in 2000 by the Griffons Rugby Union in conjunction with the South African Sports Trust which contributed R2 million towards the development of the campus, after which Harmony took over the funding of the initiative to assist and develop young sportsmen into top rugby and soccer players. The rationale for establishing the project was to address the lack of specialised sports expertise in South African educational institutions.

Beneficiaries of the project include talented youth from local as well as from labour-sending areas. In addition to developing this young talent to their full sporting potential, learners are provided with the necessary life skills they might require. Medical care as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries are provided by a local private clinic. Learners attend local high schools (Hentie Cilliers and Virginia High Schools in Virginia), with all school fees, uniforms and transport being provided by Harmony.

The Virginia Sports Academy falls within the Northern Free State rugby and soccer leagues. Since 2003, the academy has recorded various successes with teams and players winning accolades through competing in high-profile competitions nationwide.

On the soccer front over the past 21 years, the following accolades achieved:

Competitions on national level participated in and won

• Provincial Love Life Games
• Coca Cola Cup
• MTN U/16 National Championships
• Sanlam Kay Motsepe Cup
• Metropolitan Premier Cup
• Engen Cup
• Coca-Cola Cup.

VSA has produced numerous SA U/17 and SA U/19 as well as Bafana Bafana players, notably; Tumelo Nhlapo (now retired), Sipho Mbule and Tebogo Mokoena both still playing.

There are many other soccer players that are playing and have played in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the National First Division (NFD) League.

Mr Molifi Ntseki who Coached Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs started his coaching career at VSA
in the formative years (2003 – 2006).

On the rugby side the following were achieved over the years;

• Winners of the Griffons U/18 School League Competitions
• Winner of the Griffons Sevens League Competitions.

Many players were selected to play in the Griffons U/16 and U/18 Provincial Teams and some have gone on to play at national level in the Springbok sevens team, namely; Cecil Afrika, Branco Du Preez and Seabelo Senatla.

The current rugby coach of the Griffons team started his coaching career at the VSA in 2006.

The Virginia Sports Academy has become a force to be reckoned with within the rugby and soccer
structures in the Free State province and the rest of South Africa, says Chris Coetzee, Virginia Sports
Academy Manager: “We have produced a number of provincial and national rugby and soccer
players including the likes of Cecil Afrika and Seabelo Sanatla who play for the Western Province
and Tumelo Nhlapo – also Tebogo Mokoena and Sipho Mbule both currently playing for Mamelodi
Sundowns. The students look up to them and aspire to achieve the same. The students realise that
the academy has given them a life changing opportunity.”

Those that did not make it in the sporting fraternity have carved careers for themselves in various
fields including;

• Law
• Engineering
• Medical
• Entrepreneurship
• Other professional spaces.

VSA has given the learners and players life skills that if used properly can assist to go through life
and cope with its challenges.