In response to the surging interest in women’s soccer, BallTalent, a talent scouting app headquartered in Soweto, is illuminating the path for exceptionally skilled female soccer players, ensuring they receive recognition from both local and international scouts.
The recent success of international competitions like the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Women’s Africa Cup, where South Africa’s Banyana Banyana claimed victory, has ignited a newfound enthusiasm for women’s soccer.
BallTalent, the brainchild of Simon Mokgotlhoa (30) and Lesego Ndlovu (29), two self-taught innovators, has emerged from their profound passion for technology and their dedication to unearthing hidden local talent.
Ndlovu reflects on the remarkable growth of women’s soccer, stating, “Over the past couple of years, women’s soccer has grown phenomenally. As the sport continues to flourish, I am immensely proud of the work we’re doing to help young female players enter well-respected teams.”
BallTalent has recently brokered transfers for several female players with experience on the South African Women’s National Team under-17.
Notable placements include Aliyaah Allie and Jessica Wade from JVW with Glasgow City (UK) and Emek Hefer (Israel), Katrina Maguire from Croseus with Aris Limassol (Cyprus), and Ronnel Donnelly from Shooting Stars with the University of Western Ohio (USA).
Domestically, BallTalent has also facilitated transfers such as Essien Makwarimba from Jomo Cosmos to Mamelodi Sundowns and Ayesha Moosa from Soweto Fabulous to the University of Johannesburg.
In recognition of their remarkable efforts, BallTalent received commendation from Telkom’s Group Executive for Innovation and Transformation, Dr. Mmaki Jantjies, who labelled the tech start-up as one of Telkom FutureMakers’ success stories.
Telkom has granted the start-up a research and development grant of R150,000.
FutureMakers, established in 2015, represents Telkom’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) unit, which offers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) both financial and non-financial support, including training, mentoring, and digital skills.
Having assisted over 2,600 SMEs since its inception, FutureMakers fosters their growth by granting access to external innovation and diverse supply chain partners through new entrepreneurial avenues.
Telkom FutureMakers holds two primary commitments: enabling Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to thrive in the digital economy and nurturing the development and expansion of South Africa’s technology sector.
Explaining the mechanics of BallTalent, Mokgotlhoa elucidates that the app showcases crucial player data and match footage, making it an indispensable tool for scouts. It offers users the opportunity to assess players of interest without the inconvenience of attending soccer matches.
Mokgotlhoa notes, “Unfortunately, matches in the lower league structures do not get enough television. The lack of exposure makes precise decision-making a challenge for scouts. The downside of this is plenty of undiscovered talent goes unnoticed.”
For app users, discovering talented players is simplified. Scouts can input specific criteria, such as experience level or position (defender, goalkeeper, etc.), and the app generates results that align with these requirements, streamlining and cost-effectively enhancing the scouting process.
Furthermore, clubs can employ the app to monitor all their games, thereby improving team performance. Talented players can also directly register with BallTalent, ensuring that their skills are readily accessible to scouts.
Ndlovu shares exciting statistics, revealing, “So far, 12 scouts, eight clubs and more than 600 individual soccer players have signed up to the app,” reveals Ndlovu. “While our focus right now is on soccer, the app has the capacity to be used for other sports. I am excited by the potential it has to revolutionise the relationship between local talent and scouts.”
