“We all know that both Maplanka and Papi have great track records as players for South Africa but most importantly, they have shown that they are prepared to work hard as volunteers and now deserve the opportunity to prove themselves as full-time employees,” said July Machethe,  AFL South Africa  National Participation Manager

Two long-serving SA Lions players have been announced as new footyWILD Community Development Coordinators for Johannesburg and Mafikeng (North West Province).

The appointments re-inforce the ‘Character First’ approach AFL South Africa has taken in bringing volunteers through the system to full-time work since 2007.

“We hire for character and train for skill, said National Participation Manager July Machethe. “We are keen to reward effort and bring young South Africans through the system to take on more responsibility where opportunities exist,” said July, himself a staff member who has come through the ranks over the last 3 years.

Steven Matshane, more commonly known as ‘Maplanka’ is a 22 year old from Montshioa Township in Mafikeng who has been announced as the new footyWILD Community Development Coordinator for his home-town. Maplanka’s appointment comes from a field of 27 candidates, clearly demonstrating the competitiveness that exists for full-time work in the program.

Maplanka has played footy in the North West since 2002, coming from an athletics background at school, where he excelled at the 100 and 200m sprints.

One of South Africa’s more experienced campaigners, Maplanka represented his country in the 2008 International Cup helping the team reach third place. He also played against the Flying Boomerangs in all four tours (2006, 2008 and 2010 in South Africa and the 2007 tour to Australia) and has represented the SA Lions against the AIS / AFL Academy U17’s on 2 occasions.

A goal-kicking mid-fielder, Maplanka has been a footyWILD volunteer since 2008, becoming a footyWILD Centre Manager in his native Mafikeng last year.

“I want to maintain the standard of footyWILD in the Mafikeng region and would really like to give opportunities to new kids to hopefully achieve beyond what I did” he said.
 
One of Maplanka’s team-mates, Steven ‘Papi’ Malinga also hails from the North West (Itsoseng Township) but now lives in Johannesburg.

The 28 year old, came from a soccer background to try the Australian game in 1997 and has been playing ever since, making him one of the codes longest serving players in South Africa. Papi’s long list of representative honours for the SA Lions includes:

•    3 AIS/AFL Academy U17 Tour matches
•    3 Flying Boomerangs tours (2006, 2008 & 2010)
•    All 3 AFL International Cup campaigns (2002, 2005, 2008)
•    The Barassi Cup in 1998 (International Youth event in Canberra)

Like Maplanka, Papi started out as a footyWILD volunteer coach in 2007, before working his way up to become a footyWILD Centre Manager in Johannesburg last year. He will join fellow SA Lions stalwart Benji Motuba, as Johannesburg’s second footyWILD Community Development Coordinator.

“Working for AFL South Africa has been a personal goal of mine – I told myself that I would not stop playing footy until I have achieved that aim, but now the opportunity for full-time work has come, I think I will have to re-assess my plans as I still want to play, as well as work,” said Papi.

July Machethe is excited by the new appointments, “We all know that both Maplanka and Papi have great track records as players for South Africa but most importantly, they have shown that they are prepared to work hard as volunteers and now deserve the opportunity to prove themselves as full-time employees,” said July.