Firing Up the Wits Football Spirit
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The football frenzy was alive at last year’s USSA as the Wits football teams proved to be a force to be reckoned with throughout the tournament.
The Wits Ladies football team made a splash with a qualification for the University Sports South Africa tournament, placing eighth in the tournament which secured their 5th appearance in the Varsity Football competition. The Wits Male Football team played exceptionally well at the 2024 USSA tournament, coming home with a glimmering bronze to seal the deal.
This victory comes after two years in which the team did not qualify for the tournament, making their third place finish much sweeter. The team prepared themselves for this fierce competition months in advance and they reaped the rewards of their efforts.
Langelihle Biyela, the Wits Male football Team Manager, expressed his pride and excitement at the achievements of this young team. He mentioned the goals they are hoping to achieve at the end of the new year, “We want to win the Varsity Cup this year, we also want to win USSA at the end of the year.” And now, that seems more likely than ever.
Biyela has been voluntarily assisting the team since 2021, but officially gained the team manager title in October 2024, making this team victory a warm welcome. As a result of leading the team to success, Biyela received an award for the ‘2024 Best University Football Team Manager’.
“I didn’t expect it. It was such an amazing feeling. It just felt like a gift from God.” His contributions to the team did not go unnoticed, leaving them with an exciting turn of events.
Langelihle Biyela - Wits Male Football Team Manager
The ladies football team’s performance was also a stellar showcase of footballing talent. The team enjoyed an USSA qualification and marked their position as top contenders, finishing the group stages unbeaten and placed eighth in the tournament.
Mosetsana Losaba, the Wits Football Women’s 1st Team Manager, stated that the team prepared 3-4 months before the start of the tournament and participated in the GSW Football tournament by SAFA to be ready for the challenge. “This worked out quite well for the technical team, especially the coaches, to see how ready the ladies were to reach the mandate given.”
Losaba shared her thoughts on the team’s future, “God willing, our goal is to reach the Sasol League playoffs and get a promotion to the HollywoodBets League, which would be an amazing achievement for women’s football within the institution.”
The team has achieved a lot and sets out to achieve even more, and with their upward trajectory, that outcome seems more and more likely.
This is a show of the quality and strength of the Wits football teams and their commitment to showcasing courage and excellence whenever possible.
