3 minute read
Former student’s footballing career takes off
MORE THAN THE NATURAL SKILLS SHE POSSESSES and the hard work she puts in on the fi eld, her strong mentality has played a signifi cant role in the rapid development of her game.
The charismatic Gugulethu-born star says nothing is going to stand between her and her quest for footballing greatness.
The 20-year-old seemed destined for great things ever since she and her twin sister, Noxolo, started playing for Cape Town Roses, along with Banyana Banyana player Ode Fulutudilu, barely 14 years old at the time.
After helping Cape Town Roses lift the Coke Cup back in 2018, she went on to join the UWC Ladies FC side.
“I started my career with my sister at Roses and although we were playing older ladies, we were never shaken because we always believed in our abilities. I went on to join UWC, which opened the opportunity that I have now and it was a step I had to take in order to move my career forward,” she says.
“Before [UWC] we used to play against sides like Sundowns Ladies once a year but now we got to play all the top sides throughout the season. The transition to the side was also easy because I knew most of the guys from the time spent on the national team so I just fit in perfectly,” Sinoxolo says.
With players like Thembi Kgatlana having plied their trade at UWC and Udubs being one of the 12 sides playing in the National Women’s League, Sinoxolo saw playing for the side as a leap towards playing professional football.
“The level of competition was higher and that helps with boosting one’s profi le because I have always wanted to play professionally and that was one step towards that direction,” she says.
The opportunity to study in the USA arrived while she was at UWC when her videos were spotted online and she was off ered a full athletics scholarship by East Tennessee State University.
“What made it even more exciting was that I had an opportunity to also study and not only focus on football. There were other off ers but this was the best one, especially knowing there were other players who spoke highly of the coaches at this university.
“Ode and Janine [van Wyk] are among others who have worked with the same coach [Jay Yelton] that I am working with here so it made my choice easy,” Sinoxolo says.
Her move abroad was almost derailed as she had to fund her own travel expenses. However, UWC stepped in to cover her travel costs and donations from some good Samaritans helped ensure that she settled in well on her arrival. She says starting a new chapter in her life without her family by her side was not a big deal as they understand that chasing her dream will come with challenges. What keeps her going is knowing that she can always count on their support no matter how far apart they are.
“My sister understands as well; we always spent a lot of time apart. During the national team call-ups, she would be away for weeks.
“Being homesick is not something that will aff ect me. I have been welcomed with warm hands on this side so I haven’t felt out of place,” says Sinoxolo.
“Being a dreamer is what drives me to always strive for better. Talent alone is not enough; there’s always an extra eff ort needed to achieve these goals,” she says.
Sinoxolo adds: “I just want to say to those dreamers who are just like me, looking at people like Ode, Thembi Kgatlana, Janine and Noko Matlou – keep pushing and look at these guys as success stories we need to emulate.
“There is no turning back for me. There may be challenges along the way but I’m prepared. There are no barriers that are going to stop me from reaching the goals I’ve set myself. And that is what I would also like to see for other footballers out there.”
