They say if at first you don’t win, try again.
That holds true for Copperbelt Ladies FC of Limpopo.
In 2021 in Durban they failed to make it to the final of the Sasol League National Champs, thereby missing out on a promotion to the Hollywoodbets Super League.
But they did not give up.
Led by former Magesi FC star Karabo Selabe, who was forced into early retirement at the age of 24 in 2016 due to niggling injuries, the team regrouped in 2022.
Their hard work and experience paid off.
They made it to the final of the Sasol League National Champs, earning automatic qualification into the South African elite women’s league. Furthermore, Copperbelt Ladies went on to lift the trophy after being crowned national champs.
All this happened in their backyard in Polokwane Limpopo – as the club is based in Moletjie, Kanana Village.
Copperbelt Ladies FC was formed in 2019, with Selabe brought into the team a year later, proving to be the missing piece of the puzzle.
Fast forward to the 2022 Sasol League National Champs.
The Limpopo outfit saw off NWU Tawana (North West) 2-1 in the last four while Tuks Ladies defeated Lindelani 4-2 on penalties after they could not be separated from a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.
Copperbelt Ladies triumphed3-2 on penalties over Tuks Ladies in the final following a 1-all draw.
And finally, it was mission accomplished – a spot in the Hollywoodbets Super League secured, 200-thousand-rand winners cheque in the pocket and a trophy in their cabinet.
CentreCircle.online reached out to team manager/player Reneilwe ‘Tsutsu’ Radingoana to find out what the upcoming season holds for the debutants.
Congratulations on your Hollywoodbets Super League promotion. How does it feel?
Thank you so much. Indeed, it’s been our dream as Copperbelt Ladies FC to participate in the Hollywoodbets Super League and we are happy we managed to make that dream a reality. We are very excited to be here.
It’s been over a month now since you achieved that, has it sunk in?
This is quite a big achievement and we understand fully what we have done. However, sometimes it just feels so unreal but we know that come Sunday (5 February) when we play our first match in the league (vs Tuks Ladies), it will all make sense. For now, we are just taking in all the excitement.
The league is starting this weekend, any nerves from you or your team?
Of course we have nerves as a team, but that is normal and is expected, but that doesn’t mean we are afraid or that we fear our opponents this weekend. It is the normal nerves for human beings who are about to embark on an assignment.
First match of the season is the replay of the 2022 Sasol National Champs final vs Tuks Ladies – how ready are you?
Indeed it is, and we know it is going to be another tough day at the office. But there is no doubting our readiness, we want to take the game to them and walk away with maximum points. But make no mistake, we are not getting carried away by the result of the final, this is a new ball game and a new league altogether.
Three teams in Limpopo – Copperbelt Ladies, Ma-Indies and First Touch – what does this mean for the province?
It means a lot for the province because it implies there will be more women’s football in this part of the world, which will also benefit our women in all aspects as the vision is to have more women’s teams in the province – so, we are on the right track, and that shows how big qualification into this league is.
Take us back to winning the Sasol National champs – where do you think you got it right?
Long before the start of the National Champs, we put in a lot of hard work – and remember no one gave us a chance. Our greatest assets were hard work, discipline, determination and team work, and that is what saw us to where we are today.
When you look back at the entire 2022 season in the Sasol League, what do you think worked well for you to eventually be crowned national champions
Credit must go to the chairman of the club Mr Strause Maleaka, who played a huge role for the team to be crowned champions. He supported the team with everything we needed. So, we were performing well on the field with the full knowledge that the support off the field was on point, we had nothing to worry about.
And are you employing the same approach in the Hollywoodbets Super League?
Obviously it will not be the same approach. We are in a higher league that needs proper planning and so the approach will have to be different. But the effort from all of us will not change – we are going to put in more hard work, more discipline and more determination.
Sundowns Ladies has been dominating the league for the last three seasons, any chance of that changing this season?
Of course we need change, but remember we are talking about the champions, so it is not going to be easy. As long as every other team puts in more effort to challenge, maybe then will we have a change.
You have a relatively young team, what are your realistic aims for the season ahead?
What I can assure you is that we are here to compete, not just to add the numbers – we have a status protect. We will not just allow them to beat us without a fight, and they must know that when they play us, it’s not going to be a walk in the park.
How has pre-season training been going and does what you see still give you confidence for 2023?
Pre-season was good, and I am happy to say the players are in great shape – this gives me the confidence to say that we are going to perform miracles and surprise a lot of teams.
In terms of playing personnel, have you made any changes – New additions? Released any players?
Yes, there are several changes in the team – some players have left and some have been brought in, which means we will have new faces in the team. But we have retained most of the players that won the Sasol National Championship with the team, and this helps a lot as we have to hit the ground running.
By Matlhomola Morake
