Women’s cricket pioneer in KZN and beyond, Selina Munsamy is a double finalist at the 2020 Momentum gsport Awards. The Hollywoodbets KZN Women’s Cricket Manager features in the Volunteer of the Year and Supporter of the Year categories.
The 2019 Supporter of the Year finalist believes in supporting other women and helping them build their brands.
Her love for cricket started at a very young age when she went to Kingsmead stadium with her father at 7/8 years old and now she’s part of the administrators in the game she dearly loves.
At gsport’s first Media Masterclass, that featured a strong panel of contributors in Lebo Motsoeli, Natalie Germanos and Lona Benya, Munsamy says one of her biggest takeaways was the importance of keeping the conversation about women sports going beyond the HOORAH of women’s month.
A Double-finalist! Congratulations Selina. Your reaction when you realized that you’re a double finalist? Where were you?
Thank you so much Lonwabo. Wow, it is so very special hey. Haha, I cried when I watched the video and saw my name pop up, NOT ONCE but TWICE. The feeling has been indescribable. I was in Johannesburg at the moment and you cannot even come close to how I felt as I could not share this special moment with my family accept via video call. I had some really amazing people to share that moment and day with me though which made up for me not being able to share that day with my family.
What do you think sets you apart as a supporter and volunteer in women’s sport?
For me I don’t see myself as someone other than a female doing what she loves, and that is talking about women sports and blogging on my gsport Profile. I believe it has been my passion and my dedication not just to cricket but to all the sports women I follow and interact with that has set the standard of what I do. I always look to better myself and when I blog about another female in sport, I tend to look for something that I too can learn from them and improve in myself. I think and something I believe in is that we need to always support each other no matter the circumstances are. Women Sports needs us to work together not against each other. That is how we grow the following of women sports.
You are one of the biggest supporters of gsport, what about this initiative resonates with you?
gsport is and will always have a special place in my life. It is the gsport brand/culture of profiling women sports on every level and ensuring that women in all codes of sport are recognized for her contribution no matter how big or small it may be. gsport does not only talk about women on the field but also women behind the scenes that fight this fight every day. gsport has unveiled some amazing women over the years and we see these women growing in leaps and bounds every day. gsport has gone global and that is so special. To talk about other women on the international stage is so important as we can learn from them as well. We learn every day.
Why is cricket special to you?
Haha I guess because it is wonderful to see girls kick ass on the field sometimes even better than the boys. In all honesty, it has been my passion since I was a kid going to games at Kingsmead with my dad. I watched my 1st ever game which was the Benson and Hedges semi-finals and it was the then Orange Free State vs Port Natal teams that contested that game. I always used to get onto the field during breaks & play with my brother at these games. Special moments hey. Especially when I got to meet Sana Mir of Pakistan last year and off course all my Proteas Women’s team.
Your message to people who say women’s games are not as exciting as those of their male counterparts?
That is so not the case hey. We tend to have more nail biters in women sports than men sports. Just because we are female does not mean that our game time is any less fun or exciting. Watch women sports, we ain’t just women running around in a short skirt on the tennis court nor are we just women taking high catches on the cricket field. We are strong, resilient, courageous women in sport, who can play just as good as our male counterparts.
Your career spans over 10 years – what are the most important lessons you’ve learnt?
1) Always believe in yourself.
2) In the sports world that is so male dominated, buckle up & be prepared to fight for your dreams, never let someone tell you cannot do it because YOU CAN.
3) Stand up for what you believe in and make it known you stand for what is right not what is easy, you won’t always win friends but you will always make progress towards your dreams.
4) Work for what you want, because in that lays your biggest reward especially when you achieve it on your terms.
5) As females in sport and females in general we always need to be supportive of each other and we need to celebrate each other’s successes. That is how you grow as an individual.
6) Be sincere and honest on your path.
What was your biggest takeaway in the first gsport media masterclass?
This is a trick question, lol…. My biggest takeaway has been how important is for us to keep the momentum of talking women sports after the HOORAH of women’s month. Make a noise about women sports all year round not just on the gsport platform but on every platform that is how we are going to grow women sports. Run your own race and be proud of it.
How do you feel about how COVID-19 has and will impact women’s sport?
Covid19 has impacted women sports in such a big way. We see the men going back to sport but not enough women sports are starting up as yet and I think that is where we are falling behind. More needs to be done in getting the women out there and playing the sports they love.
A career goal you are yet to achieve?
Haha, Momentum Proteas Women’s Cricket Manageress post is my career goal. But before then I would like to see more girls being motivated to becoming active in sport, teaching her it is okay to be female and to want to play sport and to have a professional career at the same time.
As an avid supporter of women’s sport what is your message to other women who don’t necessarily watch sport?
You have no idea what you missing out on. When you watch a female play sport it gives you a sense of pride not just for these women but for yourself as well. It makes you believe that you too can have the best of both worlds if only you try. It is not about beating your male friends but more about following your passion and your dreams. When you meet some of these female sports women and hear their stories, it will leave you heartsore but motivated at times. Support our females in sport, they earned it and they deserve our love and appreciation.
Which of the 2 awards do you want to win the most?
Haha another trick question. I think it would have to be Brand South Africa gsport Supporter of The Year as I feel it perfectly sums up what I do and how I feel about women sports. I believe in supporting other women and helping them build their brand as well. We grow by empowering each other now more than ever. It is legacy of what we leave behind that has the biggest impact of what we do.
Photo 1 Caption: Women’s cricket pioneer in KZN and beyond, Selina Munsamy is a double finalist at the 2020 Momentum gsport Awards. The Hollywoodbets KZN Women’s Cricket Manager features in the Volunteer of the Year and Supporter of the Year categories. Photo: Supplied