Kimberley’s rising football star, Leonay Kock (white shirt) continues to make waves on the national stage after earning a call-up to the South African Under-15 national team’s training camp.
Image: Danie van der Lith
Kimberley’s rising football star, Leonay Kock, continues to make waves on the national stage after earning a call-up to the South African Under-15 national team’s training camp ahead of the CAF African Schools Football Championship.
Leonay joins fellow Northern Cape talents Calib Markus (Steinkopf High School) and Rebalehohonolo Mocumi (Emang Mmogo Comprehensive School) in the prestigious squad, which assembled on Monday for the camp running from March 31 to Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Kock, a standout product of the SAFA High Performance Centre, first captured national attention with her electrifying performances at the COSAFA School Championships in Walvis Bay, Namibia last year.
During the tournament, she netted an astonishing 11 goals, including five in a single match against Angola, earning her the coveted Player of the Tournament award. Her success on the field has solidified her reputation as one of the most promising young footballers in the country.
Her latest selection for the national training camp at SAFA Fun Valley in Johannesburg is another major step in her development. The camp is part of SAFA’s broader strategy to groom young talents for the national setup, with a focus on preparing players for the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Head coach Vela Khumalo, alongside his technical team, will be working to refine the squad’s skills and introduce them to the national playing philosophy.
The CAF African Schools Football Championship has grown rapidly since its launch in 2022, becoming Africa’s largest youth football initiative. South Africa’s Under-15 girls’ team, the reigning champions, will defend their title in the 2025 finals, set to take place in Ghana.
With nearly two million participants from 46 countries, the tournament has played a vital role in youth development. Backed by the Motsepe Foundation, it has also funded school infrastructure projects, including renovations and libraries.