Captain leads Blue Birds Ladies with her whole heart
She doesn't just wear the armband; she wears the weight of her team’s dreams. She is Tshiamo Segwatle, the captain of Blue Birds Ladies Football Academy.
It is not just great tackles and passes that earned Tshiamo Segwatle her captaincy at the Blue Birds Ladies Football Academy; it’s her ability to lead from the front, especially when pressure mounts.
She credited her appointment to how she carried the team through the high-stakes 2024 Engen tournament. “Coaches saw how I led the team under pressure. They saw my resilience, passion, words of encouragement, and the responsibility I carried. I think that’s what convinced them I could lead.”
Her leadership was most evident during a tense matchup against Mamelodi Sundowns. “We got a corner, I took it, it hit the defender’s hand and we were awarded a penalty, which we scored.”
Even after Mamelodi Sundowns took the lead again, she stood firm. “I had to step up again and tell them, it’s now or never. We pushed until the very end.
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“We nearly drew the game, but we lost focus and they punished us. I gave my best performance that day.”
Reflecting on their match against a tough opponent, she highlighted the significance of conditioning one’s mind to understand that, even in fierce battle against a stronger opponent, the rules are the same. “Sometimes panic settles in when players hear names of reputable teams, but we’re all playing the same game, with the same rules. If we focus, and put our hearts in the game, we become unstoppable as a team.”
It is that mindset that earned them notable victories. She counts the 4–1 win over Springs Home Sweepers FC, two hard-fought draws against Wits University FC, and a 2–1 comeback against University of Johannesburg FC as highlights.
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For Segwatle, growth goes beyond the scoreboard. “We want to see our team grow in the football industry, and reach the Hollywoodbets Super League in two years’ time.”
Her own dream is far bigger than domestic success. “I want to play internationally, and for Banyana Banyana. That’s the dream, and every match is a step closer.”
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