Wits staff shine at national sport tournament
- Wits University
Staff teams deliver impressive performances and bring home a bronze medal.
The netball and football staff teams represented Wits at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Staff Tournament, held at the University of Limpopo from 4-5 October 2024.
As first-time participants, the teams showed great determination against established teams from the sector.
The men’s football team brought home a bronze medal after securing a 3-0 victory against Fort Hare University.
The women’s netball team advanced to the quarter-finals but was narrowly defeated by the host, University of Limpopo.
In football, staff won against the Free State-based Central University of Technology, Walter Sisulu University, Fort Hare University, Nelson Mandela University (NMU) before losing to the University of Limpopo.
The newer Wits staff team, netball, faced the University of the Western Cape, NMU and lost to the hosts.
Football captain Dr Loyiso Maciko and lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences says the results are encouraging.
“We are happy with our performance at the tournament and will build on this moving forward. Hopefully we will have a stronger team if we proceed to the Southern African Universities Staff Sports Association.”
Thabisa Thonga, netball captain and Campus Protection Services’ Supervisor at the Braamfontein East Campus, also commended her team’s performance. “The professionalism in the team was incredible and their fitness levels exceed their age-group. We really enjoyed the games and also meeting colleagues from other institutions."
Both groups hope to attract more members to join the teams as sport helps to achieve a work-life balance and contributes to better work relationships. Growing the teams is a priority as it will also ensure continuity given that staff often have busy schedules, therefore, replacements would be readily available to substitute unavailable players.