From page 16
Earl said Earon played for the Spurs Women’s 2nd team before she moved to Santos on loan, and at the moment she is in her third year playing for UCT as a non-student.
Earl said they have groomed her to be “holistic about her approach to life”.
“She has a teacher’s qualification for dancing in hip-hop from the SA Body of Dance. Last year, she received a junior black-belt in karate in under-16, from Seido Karate in Belgravia.
“I’m sure she will give God the glory for the talent that she has, I’m really excited for her,” he said.
Earon’s mother, Sharon Isaacs said soccer camps around the province in the past five years have enabled her to improve both on and off the field.
“I’m overjoyed, this has been coming on since 2013. This is the culmination of SAFA introducing regional, provincial and national tournaments. SAFA identified a culture shop, since 2013, that was to prepare them for such a national call-up.
“This is a process but I told her this morning (Monday) to take it with both hands and go to the trials,” she said.
Sharon said, the goalkeeping academy helped to boost Earon’s confidence ahead of the national under-17 trials.
“It gave her so much confidence. She practices every Wednesday and sometimes on a Sunday with Ahmed Parker from UCT, and with Carlo Phillip, they have been working with her one on one,” she said.
Sharon said Earon was a rugby player before deciding to play football at the age of 7 years.
“She was actually a rugby player before, she was very small and all the boys thought that she was tiny to play, but when she tackled people, they cried.
“When she was 7, her dad told her about a soccer camp, she wasn’t really interested in soccer at the time but she said she would go to this one camp. After that, she has never stopped playing soccer,” she said.
Sharon said her daughter is home schooled, however, when it comes to discipline, she is a very good example to many.
“She must remain humble and live her heart on the field. No complaining, take good care of her body, respect her peers and remember the glory of the God, he gave her this so she should also remember to be grateful,” she said.
Founder at FAGA, Farouk Abrahams, said Earon’s call-up for a national under-17 trial is a testimony of hard work and dedication.
“She’s been working hard, she’s one of the most dedicated young girls in our academy. It’s a big step for her and the coaches, it is what we do at the academy.
“One of her qualities is that she can kick the ball. A lot of the goalkeepers are not as good when it comes to kicking, but she can kick the ball. She’s one of a couple of success stories at the academy, including world cup national goalkeeper Kaydee Windvogel from Strandfontein and the recent call-up of Jessica Williams to the national senior side,” he said.
Abrahams said the academy is more than just a goalkeeping academy, but rather a life skills academy.
“Sometimes we struggle when it comes to funding, but for our goalkeepers, it is free of charge so it can attract the poor kids as well. They are as young as 6 years old till any age. If you don’t make it as a professional goalkeeper, we make sure you make it as a very good amateur goalkeeper,” he said.