Thirteen-year-old shoots to prominence in KZN soccer

Thirteen-year-old Mikaela Pillemer captained the KwaZulu-Natal Invitational Primary School Soccer Association Izinkanyezi team at the interprovincial Fran Hilton-Smith Tournament in Limpopo this month.

She led her side to win the bronze medal, while showing shooting prowess in front of goal.

This Umhlanga-based Grade 7 student at Crawford International La Lucia was named as one of the most valuable players (MVPs) of the Under-13 girls tournament, held from 1 to 4 August.

She scored several great goals, including some shots that packed a punch from far out.

Pillemer says it felt good to win a bronze medal. “I was proud of our team and myself because we accomplished everything we had trained for. Going into the tournament, we were hoping to win. At the end, we were very, very close.”

Hilton-Smith presented Pillemer with the bronze medal following the fourth edition of the tournament, named after the former Banyana Banyana coach, a key figure in the growth of women’s football in South Africa and abroad.

After coming second in their first-round group at the tournament, Pillemer’s side progressed as one of the top four teams that would battle it out for the cup. The matches between the top four were very close, no team winning more than once. “One goal could have changed it for us, and we could have come first,” Pillemer says.

A memorable moment was “winning our last game because our opponents were meant to be quite a hard team. We managed to beat them 1-0 and secure third spot. Another special moment was when we were facing the team that ended up winning – [Johannesburg Primary Schools Football Association Southerns].”

Neither team had found the back of the net until deep into the game. Pillemer’s powerful shot from outside the penalty area put her side 1-0 up. “We were all cheering,” she says.

Tournament chairperson Cheneé Green, who handed Pillemer her MVP award at the closing ceremony, said, “It has been my greatest reward watching Mikaela grow into the player she is today. I see only great things for her if she continues to push through and follow her passion.”

Izinkanyezi coach Damien Pierce also sang Pillemer’s praises. “Miks has really grown in her game. The way she takes instruction and implements it is remarkable. She is an amazing talent.”

Says Terri Pillemer, Mikaela’s mother, “Mikaela played in the same tournament last year, but not in the A team. She was only 12 then. Now, as a 13-year-old, to be back and playing in the KZN primary school A team and captaining the team, people were just so proud of her and kept saying what a fantastic captain she is and how good she is at leading the team.”

During the matches, Pillemer could be seen guiding her teammates. She would use the team’s special catchphrases to explain what playing structure they should adopt on the field.

A few weeks ago, Pillemer was announced as the captain at a capping ceremony, and received KwaZulu-Natal colours for the second time, having also represented her province last year. “The heads of all the schools representing the province were present because the girls represent their schools as well as their province,” Terri says.

The KwaZulu-Natal team was selected in December and from then on, trained every weekend. “The first round of trials had been to make the North Durban team and thereafter, she had to try out for a slightly bigger pool before making it into the KZN squad,” Terri says.

Pillemer, whose family are big Liverpool fans, has been playing soccersince she was very young, probably as soon as she could walk. “My dad has always loved soccer, so I’ve always played soccer with him. My brother also played soccer.”

As a five-year-old, Pillemer started playing for a club called Juventus, a team she has been with ever since, not only in the girls’ side, but also the boys’ side. She also played for a team called the Centre of Excellence.

“I love the way you always feel so free on the soccer field,” Pillemer says. “I’m happy when I play. Everyone feels connected. Soccer is a beautiful sport to play.”

Pillemer loves challenging herself. “On one holiday, she set a challenge to be able to juggle the soccer ball a certain number of times,” Terri says. “She did this without the ball touching the ground using different parts of her body. On another holiday, she set herself the goal of learning the around-the-world trick with a soccer ball, and achieved it.”

Pillemer, who aspires to play for Banyana Banyana and ply her trade abroad, participates in all the sports offered at her school – netball, hockey, swimming, cross-country, lifesaving, and dancing. She captains the drama team, and preparations for the Grade 7 school play are taking place.

She has now made friends for life with the girls at the Hilton-Smith tournament. “Even though her time with the primary school soccer association has come to an end, it was an experience she’ll never forget,” Terri says.