Wits Women's Football Looking to rise from the past
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The 2024 Varsity Women’s Football tournament is now a thing of the past, but many lessons were learned by the Wits women’s football team.
Although failing to make it out the group, the Witsies played with true passion, showcasing what they are capable of in their performances that unfortunately still found the ladies falling on the wrong side of the result more often than not.
The showpiece that was hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology was once again nothing short of great, with the growth of women’s football in the country well and alive, as many got to witness some of the best in women’s football.
Wits Women’s Football team head coach, Siphesihle Ngalmane took a few positives from his troop's performances at the tournament, singing praises of the display out on the pitch.
“I was thoroughly impressed by the effort put out by the Wits women's team at the tournament. We showed great determination, skill, and teamwork throughout the competition.”
With that being said, there was an evident slight gap between the Witsies and the top performing teams, but Ngalmane fears not, as he explained what he feels could help cut the gap and see Wits playing at a higher level.
“To cut the gap between ourselves and the teams that progressed to the knockout stage, we could focus on improving our set pieces, working on our finishing, and building on our possession play. Additionally, we could analyze our games, identify areas for improvement, and work on our fitness levels to maintain a high intensity throughout the matches.”
There is still plenty of football to be played for the Witsies and Ngalmane sees the rest of the year as a good time to build on what's happened and get the team ready to compete at their best capacity.
“Until the end of the year, we will be focusing on our training and development, working on our weaknesses, and building on our strengths. We will also be competing in friendly matches and local tournaments to gain more experience and game time. This will be our preparations for the USSA’s.”
The Wits team was evidently well supported throughout their campaign and head coach Siphesihle Ngalmane concluded by sharing his gratitude to those that so often took the time to spur the team on.
“To the Wits supporters who watched and supported us at TUT and at home, I'd like to say a huge thank you! Your energy and encouragement mean the world to us. Your support is what drives us to push ourselves and strive for excellence. Keep believing in us and cheering us on - your support is invaluable!”