Twenty-nine-year-old Kaylin Swart is the goalkeeper for the South African Football Association Women’s League club JvW and the South Africa women’s national team. She says her biggest achievement to date is winning the 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year award in the Hollywoodbets Super League, South Africa’s premier women’s football league. She says: “2023 was a great year for me and I learnt that never giving up, and working towards a goal, requires so much focus and determination — and that no one can take away from you.” Kaylin is proud of being part of the education department’s back-to-school campaigns, which aim to help youths stay in school because education is the stepping stone to a brighter future. Asked about challenges she has faced in her career, she replied: “Mental health has always been something I’ve struggled with and the pressures of being in the national team are massive.” She has overcome this by seeking help and focusing on the things she can control. She is motivated by being a positive influence for the younger generation of athletes and excited about the growth of women’s football in South Africa, “And, if I can be a small part of it, I’ll be happy,” she says.
BSc.Sport Management/Marketing, Menlo College, California.
My biggest achievement to date is winning the 2023 goalkeeper of the year award in the Hollywoodbets Super League. 2023 was a great year for me and I learnt that never giving up, and working towards a goal, requires so much focus and determination — and that no one can take away from you.
I have had the privilege of working with great coaches and mentors and each of them has impacted my life in different ways. They never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself. In particular, Coach Cameron has helped me grow and see the potential I always knew I had, even when I lost sight of what I was doing, he always provided me with the guidance needed to get back up and fight again.