The development and recognition of female sports reached new heights when history was created by the official opening of the Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute (GWRI) in Springs on March 3.
According to the founders, the institute is the first of its kind in Africa.
The impressive-looking facility has 24 rooms that can house a total of 68 people. It includes a huge training space for the current 32 players, which it accommodates.
The women, who will be permanently based at the facility, will juggle training and studying.
There is also a field across the institute where the team will play its home matches.
When the government allows competitive rugby matches to resume, the girls will play under the women’s amateur Valke Rugby Union club structure, which includes a total of 16 female teams.
According to the founder of GWRI, Jaco Coetzer, out of the group of 32 women, a number of them received the opportunity to join the institute by applying, while some were scouted in townships around Ekurhuleni.
“They will get all the benefits which come with being a student at the institute free of charge. Once you start charging a fee you are excluding those who can’t afford it,” said Coetzer.
He aims to have a women’s rugby institute in every province of the country.
The dignitaries on the day included Lwandile Simelane, who is the first vice-president of Sascoc, acting president of Gauteng Sports Confederation Vivian Lottering, chairperson of the GWRI and second vice-president of Gauteng Sports Confederation Moonira Ramathula, director of Gauteng Department of Education Cedric Ranchor and Springbok women’s captain Babalwa Latsha.
According to Ranchor, rugby’s biggest challenge is getting a foothold in townships because the stigma of the game is only for white people exists.
Lottering added that the Gauteng Sports Confederation is in full support of GWRI and what it stands for. The rugby mentor also enthused and said while Gauteng is a province of sporting stars, Ekurhuleni makes them.
Simelane emphasised how important it is for the players to walk the talk.
“We need to redefine the woman athlete, so we are redefining women’s sport. This is the time to deliver,” she stressed.
GWRI, the brainchild of Coetzer
The Advertiser asked Woman’s Rugby development manager at the institute and founder Coetzer how the idea of starting the institute began.
He said: “In 2019, we hosted the Africa Women’s Cup at the Bosman Stadium in Brakpan; however, there was no cup (to contend for). I got Ekurhuleni to sponsor them with a cup. Our Springbok team won the cup after beating everyone. So there were four teams (SA, Uganda, Kenya and Madagascar) but only two busses.
Two busses were driving up and down between the hotel and the stadium. While we played Kenya, Madagascar and Uganda still wanted to watch our game, so only after half-time they actually went back into their busses to return to OR Tambo. So after all the hype from the media that attended, our national team stood on the pavement waiting for the bus and from that day I decided, no more!”
For more information, you can contact the institute’s line on 074 189 2349.
Also Read: Kaylee gains acceptance to GWRI
