NWU midfielder Thatohatsi Santos has come a long way to be standing on the big stage of a Varsity Football semifinal against UP-Tuks in Mafikeng next week
The 22-year-old Santos started playing soccer at the tender age of six years old. He began his career playing on the streets of his home town, Vereeniging.
When he was eight, his mother bought him his first pair of soccer boots. He started in a local street team and later became the captain of it.
In grade three, owing to his lack of interest in school, his mother threw away those boots and enrolled him into psychology classes with the hope that it would enhance his interest for school. Even then, Santos would not take his eyes off the ball.
After having attended his primary school at Laerskool Drie Riviere, he was applied to further his studies because of his prominent soccer skills. In 2010, he was selected to join the team participating in the Mini Youth World. He spent his grade one to 12 focused solely on soccer.
While growing up, as a Sotho-speaking lad, he was very spoilt as the only child. His parents showed him love and support in all the things that he did. He grew very fond of his parents and to this day, he still looks up to them.
When he completed his matric qualifying to further his studies with a diploma, they still supported him. In 2012, when he and two of his team mates received a call to join NWU Soccer Institute, he gladly accepted. He then enrolled in NWU studying towards his diploma in Sport Science. The wing and midfield position player, soon made his way to the USSA (University Sports South Africa) U/21.
Upon his arrival in the NWU Soccer Institute, he played in the SAB Regional League and Vodacom League. In the 2nd year, he found himself training very hard in order for him to be able to do his best once he would play in the Varsity Football Tournament.
This year, his final year, he has since scored the first goal against UCT. Santos speaks of his experience in Varsity Football as different in terms of exposure and the expectations that the supporters have on them.
He regards himself as a simple and humble guy and because of that he doesn’t like to brag about the female supporters he has. Santos went on to explain his new found love for school.
He says that he is exploring the possibility of taking his studies further because soccer becomes unreliable at times. His one true pressure is that someday, he can make his parents proud.
Santos sees his team mates as family and believes he is the joker in the crowd. He fears that the only challenge that might prevent the team from taking the Varsity Football is the slow start. Other than that, Santos says the only team he fears-is his own team. He thanks the supporters because they have become their reason to soldier on.
By Phenyo Mokgothu
