Janine van Wyk

Janine van Wyk (born 17 April 1987) is a South African footballer who captains the South African women's national team. She plays as defender.

Janine van Wyk
Van Wyk in October 2018
Personal information
Full name Janine van Wyk
Date of birth (1987-04-17) 17 April 1987
Place of birth Alberton, South Africa
Height 164 cm (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Defender
Number 5
Youth career
Springs Home Sweepers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Moroko Swallows
Palace Super Falcons
2013–2016 JvW
2017–2018 Houston Dash 37 (0)
2019 JvW 6 (2)
2019–2020 Fortuna Hjørring 0 (0)
National team
2005– South Africa 170 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 September 2018

She has played for Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League, becoming the first South African player signed to this league. On 18 September 2018, van Wyk earned her 150th cap for the South Africa women's national football team, she holds the record as the most capped South African football player of any gender.[2]

Early life and education

Van Wyk was born in Alberton, Gauteng[3] to Dannie van Wyk.[4] She grew up in Germiston and she started playing soccer at the age of 6. She attended Hoërskool Alberton, an Afrikaans medium school that did not play soccer. Her first girls team was Springs Home Sweepers based in KwaThema.[5][6] She came out as a lesbian aged 15.[7]

Career

Club career

A few years later, Van Wyk joined the Moroka Swallows and later, the Palace Super Falcons from Tembisa, where she was part of a team that won three consecutive league titles. Van Wyk called her time with the Super Falcons "memorable", and said that in the three league victories they were "untouchable". She then founded her own club, named JVW F.C.[5] She previously served as player-coach for the club.[8] Fans of football have nicknamed her "Booth".[5]

On 21 December 2016, she signed with the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League.[9] In 2017 she made 17 appearances for the Dash.[10] Van Wyk returned to Houston for the 2018 NWSL season, she appeared in 20 games.[10] On 1 October 2018 van Wyk was waived by the Houston Dash and placed on re-entry waivers but her rights were not claimed by another team.[11]

In August 2019, she signed for Danish club Fortuna Hjorring.[12] On 14 January 2020, van Wyk announced that she and Fortuna Hjorring had agreed to terminate her contract so she could return to South Africa and focus on rehabilitation.[13]

International career

Van Wyk made her national team debut in 2005 against Nigeria in the African Women's Championship. Van Wyk scored a stunning free kick when Banyana recorded their first ever win over Nigeria since the women’s national team was formed in 1993. Van Wyk scored the only goal of that match, with Banyana knocking Nigeria out of the 2012 African Women's Championship.[14] She was a member of the South African team who played at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. She said she was proud to represent her country at an Olympic Games, despite the team being knocked out in the first round.[15]

Van Wyk played her 100th cap for South Africa against Namibia, winning 2–0 in August 2014.[16] At the time, she was not the most capped South African women's player as her teammate Portia Modise won her 110th cap in the same match.[17]

On 28 March 2016, she became South Africa's most capped player (male or female) when she made her 125th appearance against Cameroon.[18] On 18 September 2018, she earned her 150th cap for South Africa.[2] Van Wyk became the first Captain to lead her team to a Women's World Cup Appearance, as well as the first Captain in South Africa's history to lead a South African Team at the 2019 Women's World Cup.

JVW F.C.

Van Wyk founded a football club JVW F.C. in 2013 "with the intention to focus on the development of the female football player whilst providing a platform for them to reach higher levels in the sport."[19] The JVW First team won the Gauteng Sasol League in 2016, where Van Wyk served as a Player-Coach, and reached the Sasol League National Championship final where they ultimately lost 1–0 to Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies.

References
  1. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 – List of Players South Africa" (PDF). FIFA. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. "Janine van Wyk celebrates her 150th Banyana Banyana cap". 18 September 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  3. "All eyes on Rio for Janine". Alberton Record. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  4. Skosana, Cyril (10 June 2014). "Janine Van Wyk And Her Dad". The Sports Eagle.
  5. Mukwevho Ne-vumbani, Victor (30 May 2014). "Banyana Banyana defender aims high". The Tembisan.
  6. "South Africa captain Janine van Wyk's journey to the Women's World Cup". 6 June 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. Inocéncio, Josh (14 August 2017). "From One South to Another: Houston Dash Player Talks Journey from South Africa to Texas". Spectrum South. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  8. "Banyana captain gives back to football". southafrica.info. 29 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  9. "Houston Dash sign South African defender Janine Van Wyk". 21 December 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  10. "J. VAN WYK". Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  11. "NWSL players available on the Re-Entry Wire". 1 October 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  12. "Janine van Wyk: South Africa captain signs for Danish club Fortuna Hjorring". 25 August 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. "Injury forces Janine van Wyk to end contract in Denmark". BBC. 14 January 2020.
  14. "Van Wyk set for Banyana Banyana century – News – Kick Off". KickOff. 9 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  15. van Wyk, Janine (2 August 2012). "Janine Van Wyk "I am so proud to be a part of London 2012 Olympics" – Exclusive player blog for Women's Soccer United". Goal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  16. "Banyana down Namibia in Van Wyk's 100th". SouthAfrica.info. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  17. van Wyk, Janine (1 September 2014). "Reaching milestones as South Africa (Banyana Banyana) continue on the road to the 2014 African Women's Championship". Goal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. "Banyana Banyana captain breaks SA record". South African Football Association. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  19. "Home". JVW Football Club. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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