Rise of women in SA sport: ‘Sponsorship, development now crucial’

Springbok women’s rugby team prop Babalwa Latsha has applauded the excellence of women’s sport while urging federations to eradicate challenges faced in the development stages by girls.

There’s been a huge growth in women’s sport in South Africa this year and the surge shows that the future of the women’s game in the various sporting codes is ready for professionalisation.

‘Only for men’

Historic milestones have been reached by women’s national teams this year; the Proteas women’s cricket team were the first senior national cricket team to reach an ICC competition final (in the T20 World Cup in Cape Town), while Banyana Banyana reached the knockout stages of a Fifa World Cup, a first for the country.

Although finishing in a disappointing sixth place at the Netball World Cup hosted on home soil, the Proteas made massive strides in the exposure of netball in the country.

Meanwhile, a high note for women’s rugby was reached with the Bulls establishing a professional women’s team in the form of the Bulls Daisies, with Latsha and fellow Bok Aseza Hele signed professional contracts with English side Harlequins.

These achievements make Latsha believe that there’s more to come from South Africa’s sporting women.

“It makes me happy seeing women’s sports doing well, especially rugby, cricket and football – those that were perceived to be only for men.

“It’s good to see us excelling and essentially we are changing the narrative. Women’s sport has grown and it will continue to do so,” Latsha told The Citizen.

Despite the said growth, women’s sport is still faced with many challenges. The pay gap and lack of sponsorship are some of the issues women face in sport. These were highlighted during a Momentum Women Who Make Moves in Sports Summit recently held in Johannesburg.

Sponsorship

Latsha, who was part of the speaking panel, elaborated on the importance of athletes getting sponsorships so they can make ends meet.

“It’s critical; sponsors play a key role in the growth of any sport,” she said.

“What encourages me is that we as athletes have a role to play in growing our profiles, and professional brands and how we carry ourselves and our performances.

“I feel like sponsorships are the livelihood of so many athletes and they must come on board and support women’s sports now,” she said.

Many girls interested in taking up sport encounter adversity in their development stages as they do not have the financial and sporting resources to see them in a position to progress to the next level.

‘Curb struggles’

Other girls leave sport because of a lack of sanitary pads, no form of guidance when going into womanhood and societal stereotypes. Latsha has called for measures to be put in place to deal with these problems at the grassroots level.

“It’s important we curb those struggles. Unfortunately, those are the realities that we face at this point,” Latsha said.

“By curbing those challenges we can discover the next Springbok and other national players. I feel like if we put in a greater effort in helping develop those areas, I think we can find international superstars there.

“I think professionalising the levels below the national teams is important, and ultimately it boils down to funding and having structures in place,” said Latsha, the first SA woman to get a professional rugby contract.