It was around the year 2001 when women’s football got its first publicised financial boost, which established the national league in the current format.
It was an exciting time, with the likes of current Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis still active as a player.
Ellis was still captain of the national side at the time and there was the prospect of seeing her compete against her talented teammates like Portia Modise, Veronica Phewa and many others in the Halala Cup.
The tournament was set up to keep national players active weekly and was also to be the ideal platform to discover new talent for the various ladies national teams.
The platform has truly seen some exciting talent come through and in came Sasol with an even bigger investment in not only the league but all women and girls’ national teams.
SA LEGEND: Portia Modise. Photo: AUBREY KGAKATSI/BACKPAGEPIX
Fast-forward to 2018, Leandra Smeda, a meisie vannie Kaap is not only playing Champions League football but is the first South African woman to score on the biggest stage of women’s club football.
There are many other success stories such as another top Kaapse talent, Banyana striker Jermaine Seoposenwe who graduated from university in the US.
STAR: Jermaine Seoposenwe. Photo: SYDNEY MAHLANGU/BACKPAGEPIX
Instead of pursuing a full-time pro career, Seoposenwe has taken up an internship at the PR Agency that manages the Sasol SA women’s football sponsorship.
You thought that’s it?
Nooooo, this year two ex-national players Ellis and Simphiwe Dludlu are in charge of the national team.
And they are doing a fine job of it.
Ellis has won and defended the Cosafa Cup and is now set to lead Banyana on another mission to the CAF Women’s Championship in Ghana, kicking off this weekend until 1 December.
GO MEISIE: Leandra Smeda. Photo: SYDNEY MAHLANGU/BACKPAGEPIX
The best part, they actually have a realistic chance of qualification for their first-ever appearance at the Women’s World Cup.
Caf has three spots made available.
I think the signs are there that women’s football is talent-rich enough for a fully-fledged professional league.
If amateur structures produce such success stories, imagine what a pro league would do?