I was a part of Crusaders FC in the season of 2011. I had just moved back to South Africa after leaving Saudi Arabia and, amongst preparing to write my GCSEs, finding a football club was a priority. I was referred to Crusaders FC, whose home ground was St Stithians College in Johannesburg, and immediately began the registration process. I turned up to the first training session as one of four girls and one coach. I was often one of two players every other day. Unsatisfied with this, I looked to join a second club in Randburg. I was quickly informed that this would be of no use, as the Randburg team and coaches were leaving their home ground and merging with Crusaders. And there it all began...Turning up to the 'new' Crusaders training session was very different to my first experience. A total of approximately 15 girls attended, and I was warmly welcomed as a new member and player. I was told to bring in an ID photo so that I could register to play in the leagues with my new team, and I was overwhelmed by the professionalism and proper regulations surrounding the team. This was my first opportunity to play football at, what felt like, a semi-professional level, and so my passion and dedication to my favourite sport reached new heights. Initially slightly intimidated by the evident talent that existed at Crusaders, I quickly gelled with my teammates as well as secure my position as the center player and, frequently, a striker.
I trained 2-3 times a week with a match on the weekend, and football became more of a focus than it had ever been in the past. I was thoroughly enjoying the serious environment I was playing in and realised that playing for Crusaders wasn't as simple as just being a member: I was part of a growing community of football-crazed girls, like myself, with an abundance of opportunity on offer, and people that took me seriously. My obsession for football was becoming more and more noticeable, to the extent that not going to training or matches was punishment. This was indeed the case as I was 'banned' from football for two weeks by my parents for skipping a maths lesson. (I can say with confidence that those two weeks were excruciating). As Crusaders entered the most competitive parts of their season, I was becoming increasingly more committed, and was sacrificing most of my weekends to play in some of the most important matches. However, I did not think twice about what I would be doing on a Friday evening when being told there was a match to play.
Crusaders grew and success started to mount as we entered more than one league, one being full of young boys' teams. Like any football club, at any level, we enjoyed victory many times but suffered defeat on occasion, too. However, Crusaders was rapidly becoming a team to look out for on the field, with players as young as 14 playing in women's leagues. Crusaders is where I was given the nickname 'Spongebob' by my coach, Evan, for (apparently) tackling like a sponge. I like to think that, because this was in one of my first matches at Crusaders, my tackling improved, even if the nickname stuck. The combination of players in Crusaders during my time there made us almost unstoppable, with every match being played with the most admirable sense of drive and fervor. We came the closest to the definition of 'team' that I had ever been fortunate enough to experience. And not only were we a team, we became a family.
Leaving Crusaders to tend to the next chapter of my life at boarding school in England wrenched tears from myself as well as my coaches, who had played such significant roles in my football career in such a short period of time. Despite being dubbed the 'Spongebob' of the team, the 'Crusaders Experience' will forever be a part of me. I was lucky enough to attend the end-of-year prize-giving during a visit to South Africa on my half-term break, and my impact on the team was marked by the 'Most Valuable Player' trophy of the 2011 season. My abilities to be descriptive are not sufficient enough to illustrate the significance of this award to me, and made my departure from Crusaders that much harder.
Shortly after starting football in England, the first training session was met by overwhelming emotion at the huge differences between this college team and Crusaders. Even though I was unaware of the success that was to come during my two years there, I couldn't help but feel desperate to be back at Crusaders. I could tell immediately that girls did not share the same passion as I did for football, with lots of screaming and laughing apparent on the field, and a coach that seemed to have very little control. Even though this all changed and I found my place in a team that went on to win many games and have players get selected to play regionally, it was different. However, it would be unfair of me not to point out that school football and club football are separate to each other, both with different environments. And both which I thoroughly enjoyed and thrived in.
But I will always be the #11 player nicknamed Spongebob. That, I will carry everywhere I go.
This is longer and more elaborate than I planned it to be; I may have gotten slightly carried away. Following this is a 'Part 2' story about the journey and expansion of Crusaders, its players, and its coaches beyond their home ground, and as a symbol of hope in the developments of girls' football.
All for now,
Gabi
