Head first for The IIE’s Varsity College football player
Thato Masiteng received a red card in his first game at the USSA tournament with The IIE's Varsity College, but that did not stop him from focusing on the end goal for his team.
Thato Masiteng’s football career has been a lifelong passion, beginning at the tender age of seven under the guidance of his father.
Fuelled by a fierce competitive spirit and driven to excel, Masiteng has consistently strived to outdo his older brother Thabang’s varsity accomplishments, who previously played for the Tshwane University of Technology’s football team.
“I had my father as my coach and mentor. He pushed me to be a good finisher of the ball, and built a good goal scorer, but, unfortunately, South African football prefers, bigger strikers. So, I had to change positions, and my style of football, because I am not as big, or tall, as other strikers. I was playing for Tuks, and they prefer such players, so, I moved from being a striker to a winger, and eventually a midfielder.”
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As an attacking midfielder, Masiteng has recently made his University Sports South Africa (USSA) Institutional Football Tournament debut with The IIE’s Varsity College, following his recruitment from IIE Rosebank College. Despite receiving a red card in his first game, he was resilient, ultimately scoring two goals in the tournament.
“I appreciate the trust my coaches have in me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play. I think I played fairly well, even though I got a red card in my first game. I fought for the team, and I was able to recover and play well, but I only left the tournament with two goals, sadly.”
Masiteng’s team secured sixth place in last year’s USSA, a notable improvement from their previous 10th place finish.
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Nicolien Richter, the public relations officer of The IIE’s Varsity College Waterfall, said the team was placed third in their group, based on goals scored, just behind the University of Limpopo.
This resulted in a sixth overall finish after a tight match against North-West University Vaal Triangle Campus, ending in a final score of 2–1.
Masiteng credits his sports-focused high school, TuksSport High School, for teaching him the importance of balancing academics and athletics.
“The best thing a young footballer can do, for himself, is build confidence and self-discipline. Build a strong mentality, because, the honest truth is that coaches can either make or break a player at a young age, but if you can take the judgement and bad talk as constructive criticism, then it weighs less on you, as you strive to improve everyday,” he advised.
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“Work more than others, and play to the best of your abilities, despite the circumstances you face at that point in time. Sacrifice your sleep to study, because you have to go attend training for two hours… And, most of all, simplify football in your head, so that the ball is calm at your feet. That way, you’ll be in control.”
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