It’s been 16 games that former Banyana Banyana defender, Janine van Wyk, has been in charge of JVW as the head coach in the Hollywoodbets Super League for the 2025 season.
In only her first ever stint at the helm, she took over from Mitchell Stevens who was with the Bedfordview-based club for two and a half years while Van Wyk was one of the assistant coaches. Alexia Cassar has been roped in as the assistant coach, with Bafana Nhlapho working as the Goalkeeper coach.
Van Wyk is armed with CAF B and UEFA B coaching licences. And to add to the qualifications, she has amassed a lot of experience playing for several teams abroad, including Houston Dash (USA), Fortuna Hjorring (Denmark), Glasgow City (Scotland) and Ergotelis WFC (Greece).
In the last two seasons, they finished fourth on both occasions.
With the current campaign just past the halfway mark, JVW is on the same mark on the table with 32 points after nine wins, five draws and two losses – matching log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies on the defeat column. But only one team has fared better in that regard – third-placed TS Galaxy Queens who have only been beaten once this season.
JVW’s record in the 16 games played speaks volumes:
Total matches: 16
Home: 8
Wins: 5
Draws: 3
No losses at home
Away: 8
Wins: 4
Draws: 2
Losses: 2
All this is happening while the team has been revamped with several players released while youngsters have been brought in from the development side, with, among others, four players being promoted to the senior team this season alone: Reitumetse Mosoue, Bonolo Mokoma, Katlego Mohale and Thorisho Mphelo. The latest, Mohale, made her debut in the hard-fought 1-1 draw against TUT Matsatsantsa this past weekend (Sunday, 17 August 2025).
“From our development pathway to the big stage, 16-year-old Katlego “TK” Mohale has officially been promoted to the First Team during the August window. TK has been part of the club since the age of 11, growing through our structures with dedication and talent. She’s already represented South Africa in the U15 & U17 National Teams and was called up to the Banyana Banyana camp earlier this year. This past Sunday, she made her First Team debut in the Hollywoodbets Super League against TUT, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter,” said the club in a statement.
Van Wyk recently sat down with CentreCircle.online to look back at the first round of the Hollywoodbets Super League in her first stint as a Head Coach.
You have just passed the halfway mark in your first season as the head coach, what is your assessment of the team regarding the first round?
I’m really proud of how the team has handled the first round. It’s never easy adapting to changes, but the players have shown resilience and a strong mentality. We’ve built a good foundation, and although there’s still a lot of work to be done, i believe we’re on the right track.
From a personal point of view, how are you enjoying this role compared to playing? And are there any challenges?
It’s definitely a different challenge from being on the field. As a player, I could directly influence the game and focus on my own performance, but now I have to trust the work we put in during the week and guide from the sidelines and manage a large group of players and try keep them at their best. I’m really enjoying it, though and it’s rewarding to see the team grow. There are also challenges, like balancing expectations and making tough decisions, but that’s part of the job.
4th on the table – when you took over, did you expect to be on this position by now? 9W 5D 2L?
To be honest, I came in with the mindset of focusing on improving players, building performance and progress from last season’s results, rather than the table position. However, being 4th at this stage shows that the hard work is paying off. It’s a good reflection of where we are, especially with a few games in hand but I know we are capable to push for better.
What do you think worked for you up to this point?
Consistency in training and instilling belief in the players has been key. We’ve focused a lot on structure, discipline, high standards in everything we do as well as togetherness. I think that’s shown in how we’ve competed in the league so far.
Is there anything that you feel hasn’t worked and would like to improve on?
We need to be more clinical in the final third and make better use of our chances. There have been matches where we dominated but couldn’t finish off in the final phase where it matters. That’s an area we will for sure be pushing to improve.
What lessons have been learnt from the first half of the season?
That good results are drive by consistency. Every point matters, and we can’t take any game lightly. I have also learned the importance of depth in the squad, because not all your key players will be on form and to have players on the bench that can come in and make a difference and change the game, has been eye opening for me.
What can we expect from the remainder of the season?
We want to keep pushing to be better, improving game by game. The second round is always toughest because opponents can analyze you better, understand your style but also players are getting fatigued as we hit the mid-season mark, but we’re determined to stay competitive, continue climbing the table, and finish the season stronger than ever before.
You have promoted some youngsters to the first team – how has that helped you and the team? And how important is it (to promote them)?
I’ve always believed in young players and giving opportunities when i see a player with tremendous ability. The youngsters bring a different energy, hunger, and a fresh perspective, which has lifted the team this season. It also shows the pathway within the club, that hard work at youth level can lead to opportunities in the first team. It’s a big part of building for the future.
Injuries are part of the game, but how much of an impact has Gabriela Salgado’s absence made to the team?
Gaby has been an instrumental key player for us this season. Her absence has definitely been felt, especially on the field with her creativity and attacking ability. However, she is still very active on the side at training, helping and encouraging the team and more so the young players with her leadership. We understand injuries can happen, and it’s given others a chance to step up, which is also important for the squad.
Speaking of her, how’s her recovery coming – saw she has made some significant steps by now walking on her own?
Her recovery is going really well. She’s working incredibly hard with her rehab, and seeing her walking on her own again has been amazing for all of us. She of course still has some way to go, but knowing her determination, I have no doubt she’ll come back stronger.
Fact File:
- Van Wyk retired from the game last year – having started her playing career with Springs Home Sweepers under the tutelage of former Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza, who still leads the team to this day. She has also been on the books of Scaw Metals FC, Moroka Swallows and Palace Super Falcons.
- When she called time on her national team career after 18 years, she had made 185 appearances – breaking an 11-year-old record as the most capped player on the continent, male and female, which was held by Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan.
- Van Wyk is one of the most successful Banyana Banyana players, having featured in two Olympic Games – London 2012 and Rio 2016. She is also the first player to ever captain the South African Senior Women’s National team at a FIFA Women’s World Cup in their maiden tournament in France in 2019 and helped her country to their first continental title, the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.
By Matlhomola Morake
