A sports tournament which was started to encourage female participation in sporting codes traditionally perceived to be male-dominated, has, in its second year, grown to include five codes.
The Maties Sports’ Women in Sport Tournament, launched in 2025 with two sporting events, this year increased that number to five, said Anche Nortje, senior manager of Maties Hockey, and Recreation and Active Lifestyle Unit.
The tournament, held at the Coetzenburg Centre on 18 September, featured touch rugby, basketball, six-a-side cricket, five-a-side soccer and e-sports for the female students of Stellenbosch University (SU). The first edition in 2025 featured only six-a-side touch rugby and five-a-side soccer, according to Nortje.
This year marked the first time e-sports was included in the Women in Sport Tournament, part of Maties Sport’s push to widen the range of codes on offer to female students. However, the table remained empty for much of the event, although participants were encouraged to try it at Coetzenburg Centre on 18 September. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
“[SU’s] continued support of the tournament reflects our commitment to creating inclusive opportunities for participation and encouraging more female students to become active and involved in sport,” said Nortje.
“The format gives students the opportunity to step outside their usual sporting preferences, try new codes, and potentially discover activities they may not otherwise have considered,” she said.
The basketball court at Coetzenburg Centre had a constant rotation of participants. For many, it was their first time playing this sport tournament on 18 September. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
The tournament formed part of Maties Sport’s broader focus on increasing female participation in organised leagues, as well as more informal opportunities such as Pitch & Play events, said Nortje.
The event also opened with a short moment of silence in recognition of victims of gender-based violence (GBV), which coincided with a GBV night vigil that was held on the Rooiplein, on SU’s campus.
Trying something new
“A lot of the girls haven’t played basketball before. So it was learning and getting to experience something new,” said Lee Strydom, a first-year BA humanities student at SU.
Oratilwe Ratau, a third-year BEng electrical engineering student at SU said that she felt included by the event and valued the opportunity to socialise outside her degree.
“I like events like this where they gather women together, and we get to just enjoy each other’s company and show each other’s strengths,” she said.
Soccer has been featured in the Women in Sport Tournament since it started in 2025. This year Maties Sport brought it back, alongside four other sport codes. PHOTO: Hae-Won Boesack
Ratau also noted that greater promotion could help attract more students to the tournament.
Morongwa Ralefeta, a PhD student in mathematics at SU, said she only heard about the event from a friend, and Lakisha Tsotsonga, a fourth- year BEng civil engineering student at SU, believed that it was not advertised enough in student groups.
The timing during A1 season may have affected participation, said Lee-Ann Usher, a second-year BCom management accounting student at SU.
“We just need to build more hype,” she said.