Feature: Rhodes Womens' Soccer Team wants justice.

Rhodes Womens' Soccer team, 2014. 

Gabi Bellairs-Lombard

Discrimination, misinformation, and miscommunication: Rhodes University’s female soccer team has had enough. Whilst very little emphasis is placed on sport in general at Rhodes, the ladies of ‘Rising Phoenix’ are no longer willing to settle for the apparent sub-standard and disorganised treatment of their squad.

For the season of 2014, Brynmor Heemro was appointed the new coach of the ladies’ team. With this change came an injection of passion for soccer as well as coaching. Rising Phoenix played their first official USSA (University Sports of South Africa) league match on Sunday 11 of May against Fort Hare Alice, which Heemro claimed to be “an excellent display of soccer." Although they lost by a narrow 2-1, Rising Phoenix proved their position as strong contenders in the league.

That is just the face of it. Not a lot is said about what happens behind the doors of the changing rooms and within the walls of the clubhouse. After diving quite deep into the process of management and administration, there are evidently major issues for the team that are not being addressed. Coach Heemro expressed his frustration surrounding the general attitude towards the ladies’ team, where he feels his team is considered to be “not as important as the men.” Rising Phoenix was due to play three other matches, one being a friendly game, over the course of first and second term, but only played their first one on Sunday 11 of May. Players explained that they were informed of the cancellation of their very first league match upon their arrival at the meeting point to leave Rhodes on the day of their match., which was to be played against Walter Sisulu University.

“Although a lot of the obstacles are just bad luck, such as the weather, the negligence is the real problem that I have,” says Heemro. “For example, a changing room was not even organised for us on Sunday, we had to find one ourselves.”

Issues such as simple communication of fixture dates and cancellation of fixtures are standing in the way of the ladies’ team’s growth as soccer players. Rosie McLean, a member of the squad since 2013, expresses her thoughts on the matter: “We paid to join soccer partly because we want to compete in games. If admin is not organizing games, then what purpose do they serve, and why are they being paid for a job they’re not doing?”

The team holds the sentiment that they are playing a sport they are passionate about within a discriminative sporting atmosphere. “I feel like our team is not being treated respectfully,” expresses McLean. “I am not sure if it is the result of sexism or general incompetence of admin, but either way it’s getting very old.” Captain Oshoveli Kukuri also says that “no real solid interest is shown in the women’s game,” having captained the team and experienced these problems since 2013. Alice McKay has played with the team over the course of the last five years. “I would say we are treated with certain level of inferiority, guys sometimes refused to even vacate the field for us when it came to our practice time” she says.

Globally, women’s soccer has been viewed as inferior to men’s. Whilst it is impossible for women’s soccer to be on the same level as men’s because of physiological reasons, why should they be treated any differently? Same passion. Same dedication. Same mindset. The only difference is the gender.

Captain Kukuri has been finding her role difficult as she is constantly let down by figures with more authority. “The Head Coach has failed to communicate his mandate of unity and progress for Rhodes Soccer to the women’s team,” she explains. “We would have appreciated the guidance of the Head Coach and Manager if they actually took the time to get to know the team.” Whilst the team and coach can be loyal to their own philosophies, guidance from figures higher up in management is essential for stability.

Head of Rhodes Sport, Mandla Gagayi, has not been made aware of any of the issues Rising Phoenix seems to be facing. “These are very serious issues that need to be addressed ASAP,” he admitted, but then swiftly organized for a meeting to be held to get a consolidated plan going forward.

Rising Phoenix played their second league game on Sunday 18 of May. Unfortunately, they lost to NMMU, who sit at the top of the log. The next two games to be played next semester are essential, but can they perform to be rewarded with the respect they should have been granted a long time ago?