UWC hosts special homecoming for Banyana Banyana stars
Hundreds of scholars got here out to Jakes Gerwel corridor on the primary campus to indicate their assist and admiration for not solely Banyana Banyana, however their fellow college students. Five of the WAFCON profitable squads are finding out on the college. Banyana assistant coach, Thinasonke Mbuli, can also be UWC Women’s soccer head coach.
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) hosted a special homecoming for their very personal Banyana Banyana stars. Picture: Cato Louw/EWN.
CAPE TOWN – It was a proud second for a proud college when the University of the Western Cape (UWC) hosted a special homecoming for their very personal Banyana Banyana stars on Tuesday. The gamers lifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy for the primary time, simply over every week in the past.
Hundreds of scholars got here out to the Jakes Gerwel corridor on the college’s fundamental campus to indicate their assist and admiration for not solely Banyana Banyana, but additionally for their fellow college students. Five of the WAFCON profitable squad are finding out on the college. Banyana assistant coach, Thinasonke Mbuli, can also be UWC Women’s soccer head coach.
#UWCBanyanaHomecoming: The UWC homecoming ceremony for its @Banyana_Banyana stars is presently underway on the #JakesGerwelHall. 5 gamers within the crew are UWC gamers & the assistant coach is the pinnacle coach of the college crew.#IamUWC pic.twitter.com/GgU763lKjp
UWC (@UWConline) August 2, 2022
In truth, Udubs – because the University is fondly identified, devotes extra monetary assets to the ladies’s sport than the lads’s sport. That’s in keeping with UWC Media Manager Gasant Abarder. “In quick, it’s an incubator for ladies’s soccer – opposite to the narrative that in SA there’s little love for the ladies’s sport,” mentioned Abarder.
@UWCFootball gamers and head coach who have been a part of the victorious WAFCON marketing campaign of @Banyana_Banyana being celebrated pic.twitter.com/deD5rHMWEO
Justin Ford (@JustinFordZA) August 2, 2022
Banyana goalkeeper Regirl Ngobeni, defender Bongeka Gamede, midfielders Amogelang Motau and Sibulele Holweni, and ahead Noxolo Cesane have been greeted with cheers and posters saying: “You made UWC proud!”
UWC rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, mentioned the gamers and the coach have made the college very proud. He added that he was glad that the jubilant group had turned up in massive numbers to rejoice with them.
#UWCBanyanaHomecoming: The UWC Community got here out to assist @Banyana_Banyana champions.#IamUWC pic.twitter.com/u6LlJ5jCOR
UWC (@UWConline) August 2, 2022
Mandla Gagayi, director of UWC Sport, proudly wore his UWC colors. He posed with the Banyana gamers, who have been kitted out within the South African crew colors, and had their gold medals hanging round their necks.
“In 2016 after we mentioned we’ll intentionally put our assets collectively to develop ladies in sport, we weren’t simply speaking as a result of the outcomes present right now,” mentioned Gagayi.
Let the welcoming start @UWCSport @UWConline @SAFA_net @HollywoodbetsSL pic.twitter.com/IxIAoov0A3
Mandla ka-King Gagayi (@mandlagagayi) August 2, 2022
He continued: “We are the leaders in terms of giving opportunities to women in sport. I think we are one of the unrivalled universities in South Africa, because if you look at the numbers of the players in the national team (five current players and six alumni), that is something that can never be taken away from UWC as leaders in terms of giving opportunities to women in sport.”
There have been 12 UWC-linked college students/gamers within the taking part in squad. That signifies that 50% of the squad comes from the college.
UWC Women’s FC is the one college taking part in within the high ladies’s nationwide league (Hollywood Bets League), the place they completed third in 2021. They have been crushed this season by heavyweights like Mamelodi Sundowns and JVW.
On this, Gagayi added: “Our dream is that we don’t only want to have a UWC team playing in the national league. We have partnered with RV United of Khayelitsha and want to push them to get into the Hollywoodbets as well. And after that we will push another team, because we want the Western Cape to be the hub of women in sport, especially in football.”
Motau, a third-year BA Admin pupil and midfielder for Banyana, was smiling from ear to ear, upon seeing her fellow college students sporting their Banyana jerseys on the welcoming. She says she hopes the thrill round ladies’s soccer will proceed because the native season looms: “I hope this is not the last time and I hope that every time we play our leagues, the students will show up and support us because that is where it starts. We would not be here, if it was not because we were playing our league, week in and week out. And to see this kind of support is amazing and we are grateful for it”.
#UWCBanyanaHomecoming: @Banyana_Banyana star, @amogelang_motau, encourages all to proceed to assist #WomenInSport. #IamUWC pic.twitter.com/3SLXATBiTU
UWC (@UWConline) August 2, 2022
UWC Women’s subsequent HollywoodBets Super League fixture is on Saturday, 6 August 2022, towards Golden Ladies. Kick-off is at 15:00.