A backyard chapel that doubles as a daycare centre is not the place that comes to mind when you’re on the hunt for a staunch football supporter.
But in Westbury, Johannesburg, everyone is a football fan. The local team, La Masia, has won over the hearts of the residents.
“Ever since the first game … yoh! That game was off the hook,” says Fidel Afrika, who helps her mother to look after children at the daycare centre. “I think it was 2-0. And ever since then, I recruited my mother and then my brother and his girlfriend. It became a family thing. We watched every game until the final.”
For Afrika, La Masia has come to mean more than just the local football club.
Founded three years ago, the team has progressed with increasing success. Last year, they followed up a debut quarterfinal finish in the popular Steven Pienaar Community Cup with a run to the final. They would ultimately lose 1-0 to Codessa FC, but the game was instrumental in laying the foundation for the huge range of support they have since built up.
But the big bang would come in December when La Masia brought home the Discovery Walter Sisulu Soccer Challenge from Pimville, Soweto, and the healthy R100 000 prize that came with it.
When La Masia made the final, almost the entire neighbourhood tried to attend the game, says Afrika.
“That place was packed, packed to capacity. The stands were full, people were standing around the field. It was a major event. Children, adults, old people, babies.
“When they won it was a buzz for Westbury, everybody was talking about them — social media, WhatsApp, Facebook. Even when you walked in the streets, children would say, ‘Did you hear La Masia won?’ And not just for that day, for weeks on end.”
The name La Masia is derived from Barcelona FC’s training facilities and is often used to describe the club’s youth academy as well. Many a game day will see the Westbury outfit decked out in Barça’s famous royal-blue and maroon stripes.
For another of the founders and coaches, Lorenzo Marsh, the mission statement of their club is partly inspired by the Catalan team. The European giants’ famous slogan is “more than a club”.
“It was just four guys coming together as friends, thinking they need to make a change in the surrounding community,” Marsh says. “That’s just us wanting to take the youngsters off the street and ensuring that some of them live their dreams of becoming professional football players. In the long run, we would like to educate the players as well if their dreams do not work out.”
Meanwhile, the star of December, Corburn Woodington, is humble about his own achievements but not those of La Masia.
“I didn’t think we would go to Soweto, the home of South African football, and conquer like we did. It was a remarkable experience, something I can’t explain,” he says. “We aim to get the team to the PSL [Premier Soccer League]. I’m not hiding that fact.”
Woodington had a varied professional career before returning to Westbury, which he says he does not forget. He was previously on the books of Ajax Cape Town, Bloemfontein Celtic and even SuperSport United during a PSL winning run.
For now, bringing pride to the neighbourhood is as good as any professional trophy.
“In a community like ours, uplifting football, it’s always a good feeling knowing that you’re doing well, for the youth especially. I’m proud about the project we have here and, God willing, it will continue to grow.
“It’s fantastic, you know. They bring a lot of people to the field, without having to worry about any negatives. In that sense it brings a lot of joy to my heart. It gives me goosebumps every time I enter the field and see the community standing with us and supporting us.”
