Banyana Banyana’s Antonia Maponya targets World Cup through Navy-football balancing act

Antonia Maponya says her demanding double life as a full-time member of the SA Navy and a semi-professional footballer is helping her pursue Banyana Banyana’s World Cup ambitions.

Maponya works from 07:00 to 16:00 before reporting for training with her club, UWC, at 16:30. Her routine leaves little time for rest, with Sunday her only recovery day, but she insists the pressure of combining two careers is precisely the life she wanted.

The 2021 UWC Human Resource graduate completed eight months of Navy training in 2022, during which she stepped away from football. Although she has managed to maintain both commitments, she credits her family, friends, colleagues and team-mates with helping her cope with the demands of her schedule.

Her work has also earned recognition from the Chief of the SA Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese. Ahead of Banyana Banyana’s participation in the Wafcon tournament in Morocco, Lobese praised Maponya as an example of commitment and achievement.

“During Women’s Month, her achievements serve as a powerful example of how young women and girls can serve, lead, and excel at the highest level,” he stated in a statement.

Maponya’s tournament with the national team has brought mixed emotions. Banyana Banyana were eliminated in the quarter-finals, but she remains grateful for the opportunity to represent her country and believes her years of hard work are beginning to produce meaningful rewards.

Speaking from the Banyana base in Casablanca on Wednesday morning, Maponya said she had no desire to abandon the demanding balance she had created.

“I think it’s a matter of what I want for myself,” Maponya said from the Banyana base in Casablanca on Wednesday morning. “The life I’m living now is the one I chose, and I’m happy with it. I’d rather keep it this way.”

“I have my job for the next 33 years. If I chose to play professional football exclusively, I would have to stop at a young age. I want a life that challenges me forever.”

“I have structured my life to maintain a balance between sport and corporate life.”

Women’s football in South Africa has faced continued calls for greater professionalisation, but Maponya believes the current arrangement suits her ambitions. She admits that her progress can still feel extraordinary, despite having deliberately built her lifestyle around both football and her career in the defence force.

“Sometimes I do pinch myself,” she admitted. “I think to myself that I’ve worked so hard, and I deserve this.”

An overseas offer could present Maponya with a difficult decision because of her Navy responsibilities. However, she says moving within South Africa would be more straightforward because the defence force operates across the country and provides flexibility over where personnel are stationed.

“The defence force has branches in every province,” Maponya explained. “HR roles are everywhere. If I moved to Gauteng, I could work at the headquarters in Pretoria; if I moved to KZN, I could work in Durban. It’s just a matter of securing permission to be stationed where I am playing. It’s flexible.”

That flexibility will be needed from Banyana Banyana when they face Nigeria at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday night.

Banyana Banyana must overcome the disappointment of missing out on direct qualification for the World Cup by defeating the Super Falcons in the continental play-offs. The route is the most difficult remaining path to Brazil next year, with victory required to secure a place in the intercontinental play-offs.

Maponya believes the team is ready for the challenge and has been encouraged by the prospect of renewing its rivalry with Nigeria.

“Going into Thursday’s game, we are reflecting on our previous matches to identify what needs fixing,” Maponya said. “We need to analyse our mistakes and emphasise the positives.”

“I always say things happen for a reason. Some people take two steps to reach a destination, while others take ten. We need to focus on what’s directly in front of us; this is the route we must take.”

Mihlali Baleka is covering WAFCON in Morocco for IOL, courtesy of Banyana Banyana’s premier sponsor, Sasol.