EDITOR’S NOTES

Myolisi Gophe

YEAR AFTER YEAR, sports at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) have consistently notched up remarkable achievements, but this year the university’s athletes have conquered new heights.

UWC’S REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTION to the historic success of the national senior women’s team, Banyana Banyana, at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, is a good example. Nearly a dozen current and former UWC players, as well as coaches and support staff – more than any other football institution, let alone a university – played pivotal roles in the team’s journey to the second round.

SUCH NARRATIVES OF SUCCESS deserve not only recognition but also celebration, and that is precisely the objective of this edition of Blue and Gold. Through these stories, we demonstrate to the world that young individuals can pursue their sporting dreams while excelling academically and in other aspects of life.

THE EXCEPTIONAL JOURNEY OF HOMBA MAZALENI, who secured fifth place in the Miss South Africa pageant while passionately pursuing cricket and studies, serves as a rare and remarkable example (page 14)

ADDITIONALLY, SHUAIB MARTIN signing his inaugural professional football contract (page 12) and Amber Coraizin earning her first call-up to the senior national netball team for their New Zealand tour (page 24) paint a clear picture of UWC’s commitment to multifaceted success.

ONE OF THE PINNACLE MOMENTS this year was former Udubs rugby star KurtLee Arendse playing a pivotal role in the Springboks’ historic victory in the Rugby World Cup in France (page 6) He is just the latest addition to UWC’s honour roll of world champions.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH UWC’S IDENTITY as a research and innovation institution, what a moment it was to see the rugby coach’s development of an app for high-performance training (page 16)

AND THE INNOVATIVE SHE-BOBO TOURNAMENT — an exclusive football league for under-8 and under-10 girls — earned well-deserved industry recognition, clinching a bronze medal for community development at the MACE Excellence Awards (page 28)

AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE these remarkable achievements and many more like them, we anticipate the unfolding chapters of success that lie ahead for our university and its talented athletes.