Katlego Sekhu
Renowned South African soccer stars Sibusiso Vilakazi and Kaylin Swart recently joined Philasande Sixaba for an exclusive sitdown on Kaya 959’s Sports Podcast.
Vilakazi is one of the most decorated midfielders in the history of South African football. In the 2013–14 Premier Soccer League season, he received the Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards. In the same season, he was named the Nedbank Cup player of the tournament.
Kaylin Swart, a revered goalkeeper in women’s football, has represented Banyana Banyana at both junior and senior levels. She was part of the history-making Banyana side that clinched the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.
In the interview, Kaylin opens up about a character-building moment when she had to leave her family in the Eastern Cape to pursue her dream.
“I am what I am because of my parents, our house mothers at HPS, and the teachers as well. Sports weren’t as big in PE, especially women’s soccer. Being from PE made me resilient because I was so far away from home.”
Sekhukhune United’s Vilakazi discussed overcoming serious multiple career-altering injuries that tested his limits as an athlete.
“Throughout my career, I’ve found myself on the sidelines. Particularly the two surgeries I’ve had on my Achilles. You also take those lessons and apply them to other aspects of your life.”
Kaylin expressed her disappointment in narrowly missing out on qualifying for the Olympics. Despite the setback, she remains optimistic for the future.
“Not qualifying is pretty heartbreaking. We have worked so hard over the last couple of months trying to get through all the qualifiers. It is still hard to take in. I do believe there is a reason why things happen the way they do. I think we will bounce back from this.”
As Vilakazi nears the end of his career, he reflects on the lesson learnt and his love for the beautiful game.
“At the moment, I am still enjoying the game. There is so much passion from my side, and I still like to compete. I am showing no signs of slowing down. The transition is something I pre-planned. At the end of the day, I am not going to play this game forever, but I still like to compete and have a passion.
“The nature of the game comes with ups and downs and you just have to try and find the consistency. There are many lessons from winning and losing, and I’ve experienced those moments.”
Additionally, the duo also spoke about dealing with fame in the age of social media, the importance of having a backup plan, family life and much more. Watch the full podcast below:
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