Wits University Football Club, also known as Wits FC, is the football club representing the University of the Witwatersrand based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
| Full name | Wits University Football Club |
|---|---|
| Ground | Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Coach | Mark Haskins |
| League | USSA Gauteng |
| 2017 | Varsity Football, 7th |
| Website | https://www.wits.ac.za/sport/clubs/football-soccer/ |
Wits University Football Club boasts the largest number of members for any single sporting code in the university with two men's teams, a ladies teams and a junior program for prospective students.
The Men's & Ladies' First Teams represent the university in the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Football Gauteng league, and are regular participants in the USSA Football National Club Championships competing with the top 16 university teams in the country, held in December of each year. The men's senior team, coached by Mark Haskins, is ranked 8th in the country following participation in the National Championships. The women's team, coached by Jabulile Baloyi, narrowly missed out on qualification.[1] The women's team also occasionally participates in external tournaments, such as the annual Zodwa Khoza Cup.[2]
The USSA Football National Club Championships act as the qualifiers to the prestigious Varsity Sports Football tournament of the following year; with the top eight men's teams and top four ladies' teams affiliated with Varsity Sports booking their place in the tournament.
The Men's First & Reserve Teams are members of SAFA Soweto, with the First Team playing in the Promotional League, playing towards promotion to the SAB Regional League.
Stadium
editWits FC's home ground is the Milpark Stadium, located on the university's East Campus in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The stadium can hold up to 5000 spectators at capacity. The stadium was primarily used by Premier Soccer League outfit, Bidvest Wits F.C., when it was 50% owned by Bidvest. Now the stadium is 100% owned by the university, since Bidvest sold the other 50% when it sold their shares.
Honours and tournament history
editVarsity Football record
edit- 2017 Varsity Football - 7th[3]
- 2016 Varsity Football – 7th
- 2015 Varsity Football - Semi-final
- 2014 Varsity Football – did not qualify
- 2013 Varsity Football – 7th
USSA Football National Club Championships record
edit- Men
Sponsors
edit- Main sponsor: Futurelife
- Kit manufacturer: Kappa
Club officials
editCoaching Staff & Technical Team
edit- Men's First Team
- Head coach:
Mark Haskins - Assistant coach: Alzavian van Rheede
- Fitness coach: Restoration Sikhwari
- Sports officer: Monthso Matlala
- Team manager: Sanele Nene
References
edit- ^ "University Sports South Africa". ussa.org.za. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ Johannesburg, The University of the Witwatersrand. "Football (Soccer) - Wits University". www.wits.ac.za. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ VarsitySportsSA. "Football Fixtures and Results 2017". Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ USSA FOTBALL [sic] CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015 TOURNAMENT STANDINGS (29 March 2016), University Sport South Africa
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
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