Stellenbosch University’s (SU) football club recently took first place in the provincial playoffs, resulting in their promotion to the second division and overall third tier of South African football.
The team, the Maties, won the South African Football Association (SAFA) Western Cape Provincial Playoffs (WC Playoffs) on 5 September, which enabled their promotion to the ABC Motsepe League, according to a post on Maties Sport’s Twitter account on 5 September.
Stellenbosch University’s football club, Maties, celebrate their promotion to the ABC Motsepe League after competing in the South African Football Association Western Cape Provincial Playoffs on 4 and 5 September. PHOTO: Sourced/SAFA Cape Town
“There are normally six regions that play tournaments – we are the [Cape] Winelands region – and the winners of those regions come together to play in the Western Cape Playoffs. There were only five regions this year,” said Desmond Crowie, head coach of the Maties football team, in the lead-up to the WC Playoffs.
The WC Playoffs took place on 4 and 5 of September, with the Maties playing three games – two on 4 September and one on 5 September, according to Crowie.
Saturday games:
- Maties FC 2-2 Matroosfontein
- Maties FC 2-2 Black Cats
Sunday games:
- Maties FC 1-0 Ithemba Sporting
Qualifying for the WC Playoffs
After the Maties won the Cape Winelands Regional League on 29 August, the team qualified to participate in the weekend-long round-robin tournament, the WC Playoffs. This was according to Jason Clayton Skippers, the captain of the SU football club.
Desmond Crowie, head coach of the Maties football team, and Zukhanye Magwa, strength and conditioning coach for the team, prepare the Maties football team for the South African Football Association Western Cape Provincial Playoffs. In the lead-up to the playoffs, Crowie told MatieMedia that he believed the team’s win at the Cape Winelands Regional League would boost the team’s confidence for the tournament. “That will just enhance the player’s confidence – the belief they have in themselves, the belief they have in the group and the belief they have in the process and what we are trying to achieve,” said Crowie. PHOTO: James Cameron Heron
“It [Cape Winelands Regional League] is my first gold medal. I’ve always come second so my football cabinet is full of silver medals. It was an amazing feeling for me personally, and for the group. It was a big milestone…we still have the playoffs this weekend, but winning the [Cape Winelands Regional] league definitely gave us confidence going into the weekend,” said Skippers in the lead-up to the WC Playoffs.
Jason Clayton Skippers, captain of the Maties football team, accepts the South African Football Association Cape Winelands Regional League trophy after their 4-2 win over the African Jaguars. PHOTO: Facebook/matiesfootball
Preparation for the Western Cape Playoffs
The Maties football team’s preparations to get to the WC Playoffs have been ongoing since 2017, according to Crowie. The regional win on 29 August was a showcase of the teams’ hard work and trust in the process, he said.
Maties celebrate their win over Ithemba Sporting at the South African Football Association Western Cape Provincial Playoffs – a result that enabled their promotion to the ABC Motsepe League. In the lead-up to the playoffs, Glen Stephen Arthur Hahn, the striker and attacking midfielder on the Maties football team, told MatieMedia that the teams’ spirit and mentality are what got them to where they are now. “The team has a winning spirit, even though we have a young squad. We had to portray good characteristics because we knew the last three games were not going to be a walk in the park. We had to stick to the game plan that our coaches had laid out for us,” said Hahn. VIDEO: Instagram/matiesfootball
“It was a great feeling for me. We started this project back in 2017 when I took over. It took some time and we had a lot of losses along the way, but I think that those losses we had, built us to be stronger and to be ready for something like this,” said Crowie, in the lead-up to the WC Playoffs.
Ahead of the WC Playoffs, the Maties team appeared motivated to return to the ABC Motsepe League after almost a decade out of the tournament, according to Glen Stephen Arthur Hahn, the teams’ striker and attacking midfielder.
After winning the Cape Winelands Regional League, which was a big milestone for the Maties team, training continued in preparation for the South African Football Association Western Cape Provincial Playoffs. “This group of players are unbelievable and so motivated. The hard work, the commitment, and the determination of the players are amazing,” said Jason Clayton Skippers, the captain of the SU football club. PHOTO: James Cameron Heron