UKZN Student gets Banyana Banyana Training Camp Call-Up

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First year Sports Science student Ms Kholosa Biyana, who started playing soccer on the dusty streets of Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape, was recently selected for the South African Senior Women’s National team, Banyana Banyana’s training camp.

Kholosa, who, in 2015, represented South Africa at the world student games in South Korea, started playing soccer from a young age in Clarkebury in Ngcobo.

She used to play mini tournaments with the boys before joining the Eastern Cape based Thunderbirds Football club in 2009.

‘Being at the Banyana Banyana camp was great. It’s something I’ve always wanted. The next goal is to keep working hard and hopefully I will stay in the team,’ she said.

Kholosa, a midfielder, says she enjoys football as it is a team sport and through it she gets to meet people and see the world. ‘On the football field I get to know different people and understand their different behaviours. I also get to travel the world and learn different languages.

‘I enjoy chasing the ball, passing it around, taking on people and taking shots at goal,’ she said.

Kholosa balances being on the football field and hitting the books by managing her time. ‘Every day after training I make sure I go to the library to study and make sure I do assignments as early as possible.’

UKZN’s Mark Bashe and Khulekani Mabuza congratulated Kholosa on her sporting achievements and wished her well on her future endeavours.

Words by: Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer