Glenwood High School’s football team, under the leadership of Director of Soccer, Khaya Mngwengwe, has experienced an outstanding year, characterised by numerous successes, some setbacks, and many titles.
Over the past weekend, the Green Machine secured one more title by defeating Edendale Technical High 1-0 in the final of the new KwaZulu-Natal High School Football Association (KZNHSFA ) Champs of Champs tournament, thanks to a late goal by Asande Msane.
The Champ of Champs win came on the back of their victory in the Grey College Soccer Tournament in September, where they faced Jeppe High School for Boys in the final.
During an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools News, Mngwengwe, who also serves as the Chairman of the KZNHSFA, said his players recognised that 2026 would present tough challenges, necessitating meticulous attention to physical conditioning before the season kicked off.
That paid dividends in the second term, when they captured the Management College of Southern Africa (Mancosa) KZNHSFA Coastal A-League title by defeating Westville Boys’ High, the defending champions, in the title decider. Mngwengwe attributed that victory to his side’s superior conditioning and a straightforward tactical approach.
“It is simple but very taxing on the body,” he said.
In July, Glenwood faced a different challenge at the Kearsney Soccer Tournament. The players had stopped training towards the end of May, ahead of the mid-year exams, which impacted their performances. Still, they made it to the final, but fell 0-1 to Urban Academy.
Following the Kearsney Soccer Tournament, in August, the team competed in the Mancosa KZNHSFA Big 10 Tournament at Hilton College. Again, they reached the final. This time, though, Westville got the better of the Green Machine in a rematch of the Coastal A-League final. Nonetheless, another silver medal was, again, a fine achievement.
An exceptionally demanding season continued the following week at the Curro Halala Cup. Glenwood had qualified for the national finals at HeronBridge College in Johannesburg through regional and provincial playoff matches. The demanding schedule, however, took its toll when they faced an elite field of competitors.
They fared better than in 2025, but they would have wanted to do better than finish 12th out of the 24 finalists.
“After Curro, we never stopped believing that we are a good side,” Mngwengwe told SuperSport Schools News. We changed our approach for the [remainder of the season] and gave the boys more time off. Then, we picked it up again as we got closer to the Grey College Nedbank Soccer Tournament.”
Mngwengwe said frequent squad rotations during the third term helped the players to rest up during a time when school football emphasises inter-school matches over tournaments and festivals. Training, however, remained consistent, and the coaching staff worked to ensure the players remained confident. The players responded well.
“The boys are driven and are always ready to compete,” Mngwengwe emphasised, and that showed in every game, where they demonstrated commitment and dedication to their performances.
A deep squad enabled Glenwood to maintain a high standard of play, he explained: “We also have at least two players for each position. which is rare in high school, so competitive levels were never an issue for us.”
Winning and losing together, learning from every outcome
Historically, Glenwood’s success has been driven by outstanding players, like Eswatini international, Alakhe Mdluli. In 2024, he led the Green Machine to back-to-back KZN Coastal A-League titles and the Primo Big 10 title.
In 2025, however, Glenwood endured a challenging season. Results were suboptimal, and they failed to win any titles. Throughout that time, though, efforts were spent on establishing effective tactical frameworks and cultivating a cohesive team dynamic. Those investments yielded substantial returns in 2026.
“What is important to note is that we found a style of play that suited our players,” Mngwengwe said. “If you watch carefully, many of our goals are similar. Football is about goals, but you have to defend as well. So we had the players to fit a certain style of play.”
Mngwengwe said Glenwood had previously possessed exceptionally talented individual athletes who, in some instances, lacked adequate support. “To clarify my point, the young athletes we possessed were in their early developmental stages. We had 15-year-old competitors facing 19-year-old opponents, which inevitably created considerable challenges,” he elaborated.
“While we say that, we must not forget that these are the same players who won the KZNHSFA Big 10 and the Coastal A-League in 2024 while in Grade 10. The talent has always been there. It was just about maturing into a good side that could compete at national tournaments,” he said.
The impact of the Mancosa KZNHSFA Champs of Champs
Reflecting on the inaugural Mancosa KZNHSFA Champs of Champs tournament, he declared it a success. The event brings together six title-winning teams: the champions of the KZNHSFA Coastal A-League, B-League, and C-League, as well as their counterparts from the KZNHSFA’s Inland stream.
McGwengwe said he is convinced that the event will help to elevate the competitive standards across the six leagues, providing a valuable opportunity for schools that would otherwise never encounter one another to compete and establish meaningful relationships through athletic engagement.
Additionally, he recognised the tournament as a source of institutional prestige for any school that achieves victory. He said he thought the format worked well, but didn’t rule out enhancing the competition in the future.
Schools’ football in KwaZulu-Natal owed sincere thanks to Mancosa for its consistent support, he said.
Final thoughts
With a year of history-making success now concluded, MnGwengwe, looking back on his side’s campaign, said: “I am obviously sad that many of the boys are leaving, as they are in Grade 12, but happy with what we have done together.
“I’m happy for them as they will know that nothing happens by chance in life. Everything they achieved for the school was down to a collective effort, a positive mindset, and a work ethic beyond their years. When you plan and execute those plans, you can do anything in life.”
The 2026 side, MnGwengwe said, has left a lasting legacy. Some will pursue club-level football, and he intends to maintain his interest in their progress. He also extended his best wishes to his squad, wishing them well in their future endeavours, including at university.
“The next generation of players will be chasing the heights of these boys’ achievements,” he reckoned.
“It has been an awesome season, but we must now look forward to next year, which we know will not be easy,” he concluded.
