11 April 2017 – Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk says she has settled in quite well at her new club, Houston Dash, in Houston, Texas in the United States of America, and adds that she is living her dream.

Van Wyk recently joined the club for her first overseas stint at club level.

After playing a number of pre-season friendly matches, Houston Dash will open their 2017 campaign with a home fixture against Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, 15 April at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Kickoff is at 13h00 local time (20h00 South African time).

For more information, visit HoustonDashSoccer.com/2017.

SAFA Media spoke to her from Houston ahead of the start of the season.

Matlhomola Morake: How are thing going that side?

Janine van Wyk: I have settled in quite well, but I am still trying to adapt to certain things over here such as the environment, new faces and people, being away from family and friends, time difference. For now I think I have been coping very well and taking each day as it comes. I will soon be back to “normal” where I will feel comfortable again.

MM: How different is the club setup compared to what you are used to back in SA?

JvW: It is quite different to what I am accustomed to – we train on a daily basis, meetings and video sessions of our play are almost everyday whereas back home at club level I’m used to training twice a week with the team and every other day alone so as to keep in shape. It is nice to play at this level. Training is highly competitive as every player is fighting for a spot in the first Eleven. I guess it all comes down to working very hard to get your spot – but I like it like that.

MM: How do you find the area you are staying in, and what do you do in your spare time?

JvW: The area I am staying in is beautiful and peaceful. The shops are nearby and walking distances. During my spare time I take a nice walk or rest in my room and watch movies and sports – and of course speak to my family and friends as much as I can because the time difference (South Africa is seven hours behind Houston) makes it difficult to communicate with everyone all the time. With all the travelling we do with the team as well as training, they force to me rest when I find time. Remember also that I have been here for a month only, so as soon as I get to know the place better, I wil do some exploring of the Texan state, but right now I need to first settle as much as I can.

MM: You have played some practice matches since arriving there – how have you fared so far? Did you play all of them?

JvW: We have played five practice matches and I have appeared in all of them. We recently played a tournament in Portland, Oregon and because we had to play three games in just seven days, it made it difficult to recover especially because we are still in pre-season, so the last match in Portland I was rested because of fatigue. But it didn’t last long as I was called to replace an injured player in the last few minutes of the match.

MM: So how was your first game in your new club?

JvW: It was difficult for me in the first game against Baylor College, not knowing the structure of the team and playing with different players and a different style of football – so it made very difficult for me to play my own game. But with time and getting to know everything at training, it has become a lot easier and it has coming along much nicer and it is now easier. With my confidence back, we played Texas A&M a couple of days ago and my qualities showed on the field – and the coach was pleased with my performance. So I’m happy that I’m slowly getting used to it all.

MM: Looking forward to your first official match?

JvW: Of course, I can’t wait for Saturday when we face Chicago Red Stars at home. This is what I have been training for and with things looking easier on the field by the day, I wait with great anticipation to play my first official match. I am a bit nervous but I know the first few touches will be crucial to get my rhythm going. I have a better understanding of my teammates and I hope I am in the starting lineup and then crown it all with a win – that will make me very happy. Any player wants to win when they get on to the field and I am no different.

MM: What can we expect from the season ahead, from you in particular?

JvW: Well apart from every single game being highly competitive, it will be vital for me to recover well and get ready for the next fixture. You can always expect me to give my best to help contribute and lead my team to victory.

MM: You have said this was your dream come true – are you still on that?

JvW: Right now I am living my dream and it is absolutely amazing. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I am here playing in this top league.

MM: How does your playing in the USA (together with all the other players based abroad) help Banyana Banyana?

JvW: I keep telling my friends and family back home that so many players in Banyana Banyana deserve to play in a pro league. The players we have here at Houston Dash and in the NWSL league, are good, but I feel that some players that I have played with in the National Team could easily get a spot in one of these clubs in this league. I’ve played with very good players at Banyana Banyana in certain positions on the field and I feel that we are just not exposed enough to the world. Hopefully my performance over here will make scouts and coaches look at more South Africans and bring them over because I believe they can add more value. I know we have the talent in our country to have players play across the world.

MM: When can we expect you back at home?

JvW: I will be back in October when the season finishes or when called up for national team duties.

This article was sourced from the SAFA website.