Nkoane earns Banyana Banyana call up and acknowledges Wits for a football lifeline
- By S’fiso Nyawo
Lesego Nkoane has been the latest Witsie to impress on the women’s football international stage, where she recently received a call-up from Coach Desiree Ellis to represent Banyana Banyana in an Olympic qualifiers final against Tanzania.
The Soweto-born midfielder is currently doing her third year in a general Bachelor of Arts degree at Wits University and has been a part of the ladies' football set since 2019.
It’s been quite exciting to see her grow in her game, and she speaks of starting and falling in love with the game at a young age, which has fuelled her passion.
“It’s always been something I love doing. I grew up playing football from the age of 9 and since then I’ve never stopped.”
A call-up to the national team is an honour for any player and things aren’t different with the playmaker, who shared her reaction after hearing the news of the call-up.
“To be honest I didn’t know how to feel, I was full of emotions but mostly I was honoured to get the call and I was delighted that the hard work, I’ve been putting in was finally being noticed.”
The journey has not been an easy one, but Lesego let us in on what’s been the key to her success, in a sport that is very demanding.
“Well, hard work, dedication, and discipline. There’s a quote by Michael Jordan that says, “Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you”, which has kept me going up to this point.”
With the demands of football already being high, juggling it with academics can be a tricky task but Nkoane has found her balance that’s helped her cope.
“Well, honestly it’s not that easy to balance football and academics but when I’m not at training, every free chance I get, I dedicate it to my academics, whether it’s two to three hours a day.”
Wits University also hasn’t just been a place of academics for Lesego. The institution has assisted her in finding her feet again in the footballing world, after a difficult period in her playing career.
“So, after my injury, I was out for two years and after not playing for a while, I made my return in 2019, where I decided to play for Wits and since then the university has helped me get back into the game.”
With such a setback, it's never easy and it may be a lonely period but the midfielder never stops believing in overcoming anything in life.
“I always tell myself that I’m human and I’m meant to make mistakes in order to learn. Also, one thing I always tell myself is that the comeback will be greater.” The Wits women’s football maestro concluded.
Lesego Nkoane is certainly a player to look out for in future, with her favourite footballing moment being her first national cap. She however remains fixated on achieving her goal of one day playing her football abroad, which keeps her motivated.