The sign of a good leader is when she acknowledges how the people around her have contributed towards the success they have achieved. Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis certainly fits the bill in this regard. She was recently crowned the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year, an accolade she has bagged for the past four years, barring 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ever-humble Ellis, rather than focusing on her own achievements was quick to mention how her team and the people around her were integral in her success.
“Receiving the CAF Award shows that we are on the right track as a group. A big thank you must go to the players of course, to the technical staff that I work with, as well as the support staff and management. As well as the other coaches out there who don’t get recognition for the work they do. We say if the team does well, individuals will stand out and I am fortunate that I am one of them and I am blessed.”
After years of heartbreak, Desiree Ellis has finally managed to get Banyana to perform at their full potential. The past two years have seen some big wins from the team, where they won the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and also became the first South African senior team (women’s or men’s) to reach the knockout stages of a soccer World Cup.
“When I think back to our arrival at OR Tambo after we won the WAFCON, I knew how much it meant but I didn’t realise how huge it was for women’s football in the country and how it elevated women’s football.”
“We have a lot of young girls wanting to play football and who can forget the amazing last 16 finish at the World Cup and how it has changed the trajectory of women’s football but also women in sport, it all came in the same year at the same time, it has really improved the visibility and we just pray that more sponsors come on board and to take it even further, she added.
A lot has been said about what a year 2023 has been for women’s sport and sportswomen and Ellis says women in sport are constantly accomplishing huge feats without having proper backing and she hopes sponsors will see the value in what women are doing.
“I take my hat off to all the women in sport, they have to graft and some have 9-5 jobs, some don’t have sponsors, behind them but yet they go out there, push and go beyond boundaries and any expectations.”
Banyana Banyana Head Coach, Desiree Ellis
My main movers are women in sport, athletes, coaches as well the administrators and sponsors who play a massive role. I take my hat off to all women in sports for their amazing, inspiring achievements. We have inspired each other and we support each other,” said Ellis
Now, she is no stranger to being part of leadership within the women’s national team having captained the national side during her playing days, she shared this advice for the young movers and shakers.
“Just be yourself, put yourself in the position of the individual you are leading but also make sure that you give them their space, make sure that you support the people that work around you and give them their space to be able to do their job properly and make sure you have the same vision and the same goal because that is important.”
2024 is around the corner and Ellis and her technical team are plotting their next success. The team will take on Tanzania in a two-legged tie to get one step closer to realising their dream of participating in next year’s Olympics. South Africa didn’t make the 2020 sports showpiece as they were eliminated from the qualifiers by Botswana. Ellis and the team also recently booked their place at WAFCON where they will defend their title.
“We want to qualify for the Olympics and do similarly to what we did at the World Cup getting out of the group stages and we are quite capable of that I think what we also want to do is to defend our WAFCON title, just to show that the work we have put in hasn’t been for nothing,” said Ellis.
Off the field, Ellis is someone who is committed to improving and uplifting not just the national team but women’s and girl’s football in general. The Desiree Ellis Foundation provides help to others who need upliftment on and off the football field.
While many in South Africa might be enjoying their December holidays, the 60-year-old was busy helping the elderly in the Western Cape. For a second year in succession, Ellis through her foundation assisted grandmothers who receive social grants. During this holiday period, they made sure the women and their families had some food over the festive season.
“I have recently completed my Christmas making food parcels to tie them over for a while and to close that gap when the grandmothers get their pension, after the first week, the pension is gone. You know the need in the communities and that for me is very important. I come from a disadvantaged background and community, so I know exactly what happens in the community.”
Ellis has certainly etched her name in women’s football history with her achievements on and off the field and with the ways she continues to excel the national team, are set to reach new heights.
Photo caption: The sign of a good leader is when she acknowledges how the people around her have contributed towards the successes they have achieved. Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis certainly fits the bill in this regard. She was recently crowned the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year, an accolade she has bagged for the past four years, barring 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photos: gsport and CAF
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