REACH FOR THE TOP

An “Unsung Hero”, Nondumiso Wendy Nomatse aims for greatness in all she does

By Dumisani Koyana | Photography: Skhu Nkomphela

The impact of young women administrators in the sport industry has been growing rapidly in the country and shows great diversity. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) prides itself in giving a platform for women to kickstart their journey, harnessing their talent and preparing for their respective fields. The sport department at the institution has seen administrators making their way into the country’s top-level brass, one example being Ilhaam Groenewald, who was the Director of UWC Sport from 2004 until 2014.

The story of a young woman, born and bred on the Cape Flats in Lower Crossroads, shows that it doesn’t matter where you come from as long as you have a goal and a plan. Nondumiso Wendy Nomatse can further attest to this with her recent recognition by Sunday World as part of its 2021 Unsung Heroes Awards. The Youth in Arts, Culture and Sport award is given to young women and men across the country who are not afraid to dream and act even when the odds are stacked against them.

“It feels good to receive this recognition’ I feel appreciated by the fact that there are people who see the hard work we put in,” says the 31-year-old manager of the UWC women’s football team. “For me, it is a great honour as my job is to make other people look good. Now to be recognised for my work is a great achievement and it means I must work harder so I can elevate to greater heights in my field.”

As the manager of a team in the Hollywoodbets Super League, now in its second year, Nomatse has her work cut out for her. “My duties with the team are a lot but I love every moment of it. It starts from making sure the players have good grades before they join the team as well as during their time here to allocating accommodation on campus. I am the to-go-to person between the technical team and the players.

“I also have to make sure I do the logistics before a game. This includes travelling arrangements, attending pre-match meetings with officials and ensuring our kits are ready to go.”

Nomatse is no stranger to the field, having played for the University’s women’s team for six years before calling it quits in 2016. “I’d had enough of the game. The young ones were coming in and it was not easy to keep up with them. I was also trying to avoid getting an injury so after I retired, I became a student administrative assistant where I would take part in making sure all the sporting events went well. Some of the events I’ve been part of are Varsity football, University Sports South Africa (USSA) national games and campus football games.”

Now, having obtained her qualifications – a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Sports Recreation and Exercise Science – with UWC, Nomatse looks back on her academic journey as a series of challenges she had to overcome.

“It wasn’t easy as I was staying at home and my family is very big. It made it difficult for me to focus in addition to commuting by train every day.

“It was hectic but, you know, everyone makes a plan. I had friends on campus and I would ask them if I could stay with them. Mind you, this was not allowed and I had to duck and dive the security daily. Through all these difficulties, I managed to hang on until I received my qualification.”

In 2019, she was named as the manager of the women’s team and immediately made changes to the structure of football at the University. That same year, she was voted as Manager of the Tournament at the USSA games with her team coming in as runners-up.

“I want to thank Mr G [UWC Sport Director Mandla Gagayi] for having faith in my abilities and empowering me. It’s never been an easy task but I strive to do great every time. I also work with a technical team that always wants to achieve greatness and that’s what makes me strive to be the greatest in everything I do.”