You have to take your hat off to Lonn Van Graan and his Jomos Power outfit.
Week after week, the Atlantis-based club shoulders a burden few teams in Safa Cape Town’s Third Division can relate to, travelling close to 100km round trip for away fixtures while continuing to fly the flag for the coastal town’s most senior football club.
For years, Jomos has represented Atlantis with distinction, and much of that credit belongs to Van Graan, whose unwavering commitment has kept the club competitive through some challenging periods.
The veteran mentor has overseen the club’s fortunes through highs and lows, including its drop from the ABC Motsepe League’s Second Division to the Third Division during the Covid-19 pandemic. But after several seasons of merely surviving in the so-called ‘Graveyard league’, Van Graan believes the time has come for Jomos to start flexing its muscles once again.
“You’re 100 percent correct,” Van Graan told No Bones with Jones. “I have a very young squad that is full of energy and this excites me. There are a lot of positives and we must capitalise on them this season.”
In recent campaigns, Jomos has often given the impression of a side content with simply maintaining its Third Division status rather than challenging for honours. However, Van Graan insists there are mitigating circumstances behind the club’s inconsistent performances.
One of the biggest hurdles has been the constant disruption to team selection, with work commitments regularly preventing players from being available.
“The only struggle is the fact that I never have the same team twice because of shift work, and that unsettles us a lot. There is no real continuity,” he explained. “For example, on Friday night we will have five players unavailable due to job commitments. But I will not use that as an excuse.”
It’s a challenge many amateur clubs face, but few to the extent of Jomos, whose squad composition can change dramatically from one fixture to the next.
Despite those obstacles, Van Graan remains encouraged by the youthful exuberance within his ranks and believes that if continuity can improve, Jomos may yet emerge as one of the division’s dark horses this season.
After years of battling against the odds, the message from Atlantis is clear: Jomos Power is no longer content with just making up the numbers – and Junction Rovers, who lost their first game dismally against Premier United, will have to shake off their rust and take heed of Jomos’ renewed vigour when they roll into the ‘Harry Gwala’ in Heidveld on Friday.
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