Varsity Football provides a great platform for women to launch their football careers. But women’s football in South Africa is in desperate need of a makeover. The status of women’s football is appalling in SA. There is no professional league and there is a shortage of competition.

Varsity Football is playing its part in closing the big gap between men’s and women’s football. I covered Banyana Banyana’s campaign at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last month. The ladies returned home from their second Olympic appearance without winning a match or scoring a single goal. They collected just one point from their Group E matches after two defeats and one draw. They lost to Sweden (1-0), China (2-0) and Brazil (0-0).

I embarked on some research of my own to speak with international journalists from across the world to find out why the other countries are excelling in women’s football, while Banyana finds it difficult to compete against the other countries.

I spoke to media colleagues from Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Canada to mention just a few. They told me that the main reasons why the ladies football teams are doing well in their country is because football is taken seriously. They said their countries stage regular tournaments and full operation leagues for the ladies to engage in some regular football. It’s a sad reality in SA as we don’t have all of that in our country.

A professional league is the only solution to take the ladies football to the next level. I interviewed former Banyana coach Vera Pauw more than five times in Rio and she constantly lamented the lack of a professional women’s league as the main reason why the ladies football is lacking behind. The majority of Banyana players agreed that the shortage of a professional league is also one of the main reasons why they constantly fail to deliver at major international events. The Premier Soccer League chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, has promised to lend a hand to help the women’s football launch a professional women’s league.

Varsity Football has a short competition for the ladies and it’s a step in the right direction for women’s football to grow. My biggest concern is where do these talented players go after taking part in this exciting popular Varsity Women’s Football competition? Do they go back home to wait for another year to compete in the tournament, or go join their respective clubs in the women’s league? Which league? We don’t have one in SA.

Talent needs to be nurtured for it to develop fully. I just hope that the promises made by the highest authorities in South African football will become a reality. Varsity Football is just a platform that aims to unearth footballers and move them to the professional set-up where they will undergo rigorous training sessions and have the chance to play for Banyana Banyana. Let’s hope that South Africa embraces this tournament and that the nation will watch closely to see how we can use this platform. To witness our stars of tomorrow doing what they love.

By Charles Baloyi, Daily Sun and Sunday Sun Sports Writer