Many people probably find women’s soccer a novelty, national captain Desiree Ellis believes patronising attitudes are a thing of the past, writes Sean O’Connor
South African women’s soccer is coming of age. When Banyana Banyana reached the finals of the African Cup of Nations last year, the sport enjoyed its biggest exposure yet. This, and the women’s World Cup, has made women’s soccer familiar to many, and turned it into more than just a pastime for many young women.
Although there are a substantial number of women’s clubs around the country, and two national professional leagues, exposure and sponsorship remain big problems. Not surprisingly, these problems follow the sport into schools. However, this is regularly exacerbated by resistance from staff, where sexist attitudes often still prevail.
The problem is not limited to soccer, but is found in other sports thought of as traditionally male, such as cricket and rugby. If females want to play these sports, why not? Many resistant teachers cite a lack of equipment as the main stumbling block, but it seems that a double standard is applied when they say ”what about the threat of injury?” Is this not something that applies to males as well?
Some school however, such as Pinelands High School in Cape Town, have embraced women’s soccer. Leanne Elliott, a grade 10 learner at the school, says there are about 26 girls at her school who play the sport. Elliott plays for the girls’ first team as well as in the local under 15 league, for Spurs Football Club. She has enjoyed successful tours with her club as well as a Western Province schools team. Women’s soccer has in fact been played in Cape Town since 1974, which puts the lack of exposure that the sport receives in greater context.
So what does a schoolgirl do if she wants to play soccer? Women’s soccer is now part of the South African Football Association (Safa), which has done much to aid its development. By phoning your local Safa branch secretary, you will be put in touch with someone who can advise you.
USSASA, the United Association of School Sport in South Africa, administers a soccer league for school-going young women. Cape Town, which is the most active region in the country, has more than 10 high schools which have a girls’ soccer first team. However, soccer needs to be developed at a much earlier age if the sport is to flourish.
Speaking to Desiree Ellis, our national captain, theTeacher discovered that women’s soccer could have a bright future. ”There are professional leagues springing up all over the place,” she says, ”and American universities are starting to offer fully paid soccer scholarships. You can make soccer your career, and get a fantastic education as well.”
Desiree played soccer in the streets of the Cape Town suburb of Athlone before being spotted by a talent scout and invited to join Spurs Football Club. Since then, soccer has transformed her life. Her travels have shown her ”real poverty,” she says, ”and put things in context for me. I love playing and touring with other women, it has added a great dimension to my social life as well. Besides building skills, soccer has really helped me to build my character.”
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, April 2001.