Amanda ready for grand Italian job
PORT Elizabeth and former Banyana Banyana soccer player Amanda Sister has secured a twoyear contract with Italian football giants Napoli.
The 26-year-old defender, who was banned from soccer for a year after failing her drug test in during the 2012 African Women’s Championship, says she hopes the deal will open more doors for her internationally.
But more importantly, Sister says her contract with Napoli has given her a new lease of life.
“This achievement means a lot to me, because it has always been my dream since at very young age to one day play overseas,” said Sister.
“The time I was dropped at Banyana I didn’t have hope that my dream would actually come true, because I thought going overseas was based on my performance in the national team.
“Most European teams do not take players if you do not have national caps.”
She said it was her family’s and community’s encouraging words that helped her to get through get back into the shape again after a hard time.
Though Sister was banned from soccer she was a regular on the training field with Teenagers FC club which is coached by her brother.
The former Birmingham and Liverpool Ladies FC player believes she has what it takes to make the national team again.
“I told myself I needed to go home to my family because I was staying alone in Johannesburg,” she said.
“I had done things that were not right and things that I was not taught but my family and people around my community supported me. They told me to never give up.”
Sister says she will not forget her roots and plans to come back home and open up her own soccer school of excellence in Port Elizabeth.
“I hope I will be able to get sponsors who will make that vision a reality, because there are a lot of children who look up to me. So, I want to do something for them,” said Sister.
The unequal attention given to men over women has resulted in many young girls quitting the soccer according to Sister.
“Here in PE, in the Sasol League there are no sponsors it’s just Sasol. But people don’t just play soccer. They have to travel as well and they don’t have funds to do so.
“The manager would usually be the one who would have to pay for travelling costs of the team because even the allowance that we receive from Safa is not that much.”
Sister believes that Chippa United, as a professional side in Port Elizabeth could provide women’s soccer with a lifeline.
“If a team like Chippa can also get involved in female teams that are here and support them I think they could go far,” she said, adding that some clubs elsewhere have both male and female squads.
Chippa coach Dan “Dance” Malesela said having a women’s team at the club would be great idea.
“The last time we went to a school here around PE, I spotted a highly talented girl and recommended that somebody takes her to the high performance centre in Pretoria. I don’t know if that is done but I was promised it would be done,” said Malesela.
“People will be encouraged if we have a girls team as a club. Then there is a platform. You need a platform to do something.”
The former Mamelodi Sundowns defender also gave Sister words of encouragement.
“I think this is a great opportunity, whatever you do will encourage other young girls, boys and everybody in South Africa. Just raise the flag high and we know you can. Represent your family as well.”