Sishi steps up as Stellenbosch chart bold path with uual promotions
Image: BackpagePix
Stellenbosch FC have announced the exciting promotion of 20-year-old defender Simthandile Sishi to their first-team squad ahead of the 2025/26 season, signalling a continued commitment to nurturing young talent at the club.
Sishi, who joined Stellenbosch in 2022, has quickly emerged as one of the club's leading prospects, having captained the reserve team last season. His leadership was pivotal in securing two major titles — the DStv Diski Challenge and the Premier League Next Generation Cup — showcasing his potential on the international youth stage.
Sishi's accolades do not end there; his recent recognition as the Sportsman of the Year for the reserve team highlights his dedication and prowess as a rising star at the Winelands club.
New era, same ambition — Stellenbosch FC promote Simthandile Sishi to the first team while preparing club legend Lee Langeveldt for life beyond the posts. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Wearing the No 22 jersey, he is poised to step onto the field alongside seasoned players as he embarks on this new chapter in his career.
'I'm very excited to sign a professional contract,' Sishi said. 'Playing in the DDC, winning the DDC, and taking part in the Next Gen Cup helped me grow as both a player and an individual, and I feel ready to make the step up.'
The young defender's enthusiasm and ambition reflect the club's desire to develop homegrown talent, with expectations high for him to make a significant impact in the upcoming season.
In tandem with Sishi's promotion, Stellenbosch FC are facilitating the transition of veteran goalkeeper Lee Langeveldt into coaching. This dual model sets the club apart in South African football.
The club is proud to announce that Lee Langeveldt has signed a contract extension that will see him enter his 21st season as a professional ✍️ — Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) July 10, 2025
Rather than allowing legends to drift into obscurity post-retirement, Stellenbosch are crafting structured pathways for their players' futures. The 2025 CAF Confederation Cup semi-finalists recently extended Langeveldt's contract for one more season, allowing him to lend his invaluable experience to the team.
Stellenbosch's statement reads: 'Langeveldt will remain part of the first-team squad for the 2025/26 season before being provided the opportunity to transition into a backroom role, where he will serve as a goalkeeper coach for the club's reserve, youth, and ladies teams.'
Langeveldt has now clocked 21 years in professional football and stands as the last player from the squad that achieved promotion to the top flight during the 2018/19 season.
His contributions to the club and connection to the community establish him as a living legend, one uniquely positioned to impact both on and off the pitch for Stellenbosch FC.
This dual announcement not only exemplifies the club's commitment to developing youth talent but also its dedication to honouring and integrating its veteran players into meaningful roles.
In a progressive move, Stellenbosch are demonstrating how to build a sustainable football culture — nurturing future stars while ensuring football legends remain actively involved in the sport.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
42 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Ballito golfer Olivia Wood secures top-three finish at Dutch Junior Open
Ballito golfer Olivia Wood tied for third at the 2025 Dutch Junior Open after a late call-up and challenging preparation. Wood returned home with pride following her stellar performance at the Noord-Brabantsche Golf Club in Toxandria, Netherlands, where the prestigious 72-hole stroke play championship was held from July 16 to 19. The 19-year-old tied for third place alongside fellow South African Lisa Coetzer, finishing four-over-par. She carded rounds of 76, 72, 71 and 73 for a total of 292 – just seven shots behind Dutch winner Rosanne Boere, who finished at three-under-par. The tournament, located an hour-and-a-half's drive from Amsterdam, featured top junior golfers from around 20 countries, with 80 boys and 40 girls competing. 'The experience was really great; it was nice to meet other golfers from around the world,' said Olivia, who earned her Protea colours for GolfRSA after narrowly missing out on previous national selections. Her journey to the tournament was anything but conventional. While vacationing in Mozambique, Wood received a late call-up to replace an injured teammate. She flew home the next day and squeezed in a single rainy training session before heading to Europe the following day. ALSO READ: Ballito golfer Olivia Wood sweeps titles at KZN championships 'It was quite an experience,' she said. 'I hadn't practised in two weeks, and my one session back home was in poor weather conditions. I had to prepare myself mentally for the competition in a way I have not had to before.' Despite the challenges, Wood impressed on the tricky foreign course. 'The course was tough; the grass made the greens tricky,' she said. A member of both Umhlali and Simbithi country clubs, Olivia is currently ranked 243 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with a career best of 241. 'We are proud to see our juniors earning the opportunity to compete on the global stage,' said Grant Hepburn, CEO of GolfRSA. 'International competition is vital for the development of young players. It gives them invaluable experience against top global talent, in different playing conditions and under pressure, which is key to their long-term success.' Olivia will now set her sights on the United States, where she will begin a full golf scholarship at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on August 6. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below.
TimesLIVE
3 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Banyana's success has been stirring — it is not guaranteed to last
There are concerns that Banyana Banyana's successes of the last half-decade were a high point and the women's national team might battle to replicate such achievements in the near future. Their fourth placing at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco this month could be seen partly as a sign of a team in transition as new talent is blooded by coach Desiree Ellis and a hugely successful older generation begins steps towards its exit. It can also be read as a warning that a slow decline might be coming all too soon after the generation led by stars such as Thembi Kgatlana, Refiloe Jane, Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe took Banyana to their first Wafcon triumph, also in Morocco, in 2022 and notched the first progression past a World Cup group stage by a South African senior team in 2023. A fourth placing is no disgrace — defending a title can be difficult and women's football globally is improving in strides each year. It's the talent pipeline and factors affecting it that raise concern. There were some good young players fielded by Banyana in Morocco this month, products of Ellis' injection of talent over recent years, aware her senior stars will be moving on soon. Among emerging stars were Ronnel Donnelly, Tiisetso Makhubela, Amogelang Motau and Karabo Dhlamini. But there is a concern the new talent pool does not quite have the depth and genuine star quality of the one it is succeeding. [WATCH] Banyana Banyana have returned home from Morocco following a disappointing stint at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. — SABC News (@SABCNews) July 28, 2025 Former Banyana coach Fran Hilton-Smith, the South African Football Association's former assistant and women's technical director who left those posts in 2021, and arguably the largest individual influence on the growth and success of Banyana, worries about these issues. Among these are that, while the launch from 2019 of the national women's Hollywoodbets Super League has been a notable positive development, it remains far from ideal and needs especially smaller teams to obtain sponsorships and for more players to be at least semi-professional. The women's academy established by Hilton-Smith at the high performance centre (HPC) at Pretoria University reduced its yearly intake for cost-cutting purposes when she left Safa. Then of course there is the bombshell ending of the hugely influential 16-year sponsorship of Banyana by Sasol. Safa has admitted it is battling to pull major sponsorships outside Banyana and Bafana Bafana, and serious questions are being raised about how the beleaguered association can find financial backers with embattled president Danny Jordaan at the helm while facing fraud charges. 'I think there needs to be introspection and rebuilding or restructuring for the Wafcon next year which is a World Cup qualifier,' Hilton-Smith told TimesLIVE Premium. 'The Hollywoodbets league and to some extent the Sasol [second tier] need some attention.' No cheers. No welcome. Just cameras and questions. Banyana deserved more than silence. Let's not only show up when there's a trophy. #RespectBanyana #WeSeeYou #QueensDeserveBetter — Sports Daily (@SportsDailyZA) July 28, 2025 There are some sponsored and well-funded sides in the Super League, such as the successful Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, TS Galaxy and university teams that use their good institutional resources and well-run sides like high-punching JVW. 'But there's a big gap between the teams that are sponsored and structured and the others,' Hilton-Smith said. 'My point is we need to improve the level of competition [among the lower sides] to ensure the players who come through to Banyana are playing at a competitive level not far from the players based overseas. You need to have a balanced national team. We need to ensure the feeder system to Banyana is of a high standard. 'Even Sundowns, with their good coaching and structures, who pay players a decent amount and, like the men's team, have had continental success and provide the backbone of the national team, can be problematic. Like in men's football, Sundowns Ladies can hoover up top talent and then good players get benched.' Teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have partnered with women's amateur sides, which feels like window dressing for the purposes of meeting Confederation of African Football requirements. so the men's teams can compete continentally. If those giants had dedicated women's teams that would also improve the standard in the Super League. Hilton-Smith is also 'not sure how many senior players will be available for Banyana next year'. This especially since disillusion among senior stars continue to grow given their treatment by Safa. There were player strikes over bonuses and conditions ahead of the 2023 World Cup and, inexcusably given they were defending champions for the past Wafcon. Senior stars' body language and messages given between the lines of their actions and statements indicate they are fed up with flying the flag, at huge effort, then facing such lack of backing. Thembi Kgatlana withdrew from the Wafcon squad for personal reasons and was notably missed in Morocco. Jermaine Seoposenwe announced she intended to retire from the national side after the tournament. Hilton-Smith is concerned Safa has scaled back the academy at Tuks' HPS. 'Of the team that won Wafcon, 14 came from my high performance and 15 from the [2023] World Cup squad. 'Since I was retired, the intake at the HPC hasn't been at full capacity.' Hilton-Smith said she understands that the withdrawal of Sasol, also sponsors of the 144-team nationwide amateur effective second tier of women's club football, as Banyana sponsors is still not completely certain, and could be reversed if Safa meet 'certain conditions'. 'We can't lose Sasol if they decide to pull out because they've been the lifeblood of Banyana, without a doubt, and the league and the history. They have a branch in the US and it's because of that and the funding that Banyana played the US [the world's No 1 US team] in America more than once. 'That's where we need to be. So we hope they will reconsider.'
Daily Maverick
8 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
SA's Pieter Coetzé clinches gold at World Aquatics Championships in Singapore
South Africa earned their first medal at the World Aquatics Championships after star swimmer Pieter Coetzé claimed gold in the 100m backstroke on Tuesday. South African swimming sensation Pieter Coetzé won the gold medal in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatic Championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Coetzé is the first South African medallist at this year's championships. The 21-year-old raced home in 51.85 seconds, an African record in the event. Despite dominating local pools and smaller competitions, it was Coetzé's first world senior title. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris last year, he finished fifth in the same event, with a time of 52.58. The winner was Italy's Thomas Ceccon, who completed the two-lap event in 52 seconds flat. On this occasion, it was Coetzé who touched the wall quickest, ahead of Ceccon, who finished second in 51.90 seconds. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard of France took the bronze medal in 51.92 seconds. Coetzé was a mere 0.25 seconds off Ceccon's world record. 'I always thought it would happen eventually,' said Coetzé, referring to his first senior world title. 'In my mind, it was just a matter of time, but to do it this year is amazing. 'It was awesome. The competition was very deep here, so there were eight guys who could have won it. 'Every time I break [the African record], I'm really happy with it. 'I can't explain, but it was more about the win tonight than the time, so if I won with a second slower time, it would still be as good. In the final, you don't really think about the time at all.' A backstroke clinic Coetzé's first 50m weren't that quick, and he dropped to fourth place in the opening lap, after qualifying third-fastest in his semifinal. But his turn at the wall was faultless, and he picked up speed underwater before turning on the afterburners as Russian swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov slipped from pole position. The big push came in the final 20m, when Coetzé took the lead for the first time and didn't let it slip, reaching out and touching the wall ahead of Ceccon. It was the second time the talented young athlete had claimed a win in sub-52, after he took home gold at the World University Games earlier this month, finishing in 51.99 seconds — an African record at the time. 'The University Games prepared me really well,' said Coetzé. 'The guys went fast there as well. But I'm over the moon. It was anyone's game. I knew that going into it, and to get away with the win is awesome.' The superstar swimmer still has the 50m and 200m backstroke events to come at the World Aquatics Championships. Other SA contenders Earlier in the evening, Coetzé's teammate Chris Smith booked his ticket to the final of the 50m breaststroke. The 19-year-old won his morning heat in 26.82 seconds and then went even better in the evening semifinals, finishing second in a personal best time of 26.77 seconds, behind Koen de Groot (26.71). That saw him through to Wednesday's final as the joint fifth-fastest. The other South African in action in the evening session was Aimee Canny, who had finished third in her morning heat in 1:57.53 to qualify eighth fastest for the 200m freestyle semifinals. She went slightly slower in the semifinal, finishing in sixth place in 1:57.72, missing out on the final in 12th overall. Apart from Smith taking to the blocks for the 50m breaststroke final, Wednesday's programme will see Olivia Nel, fresh from her four medals at the World University Games, lining up in the heats of the 50m backstroke, while Matt Sates is in the 200m individual medley and the South Africans will be in action in the mixed 4x100m medley relay. DM
