Segwaba, captain fantastic

By Athenkosi Tsotsi

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"I want to make history it. I don't know if I can make history, but I know it's possible with God. And that's why I put my faith in God because He's the way, the truth and the light. And I know I am going make history. I know I'm going to make history. I have to make history!" This is not a quote from The Champ Muhammad Ali, The Unstoppable Caster Semenya or The Tennis Maestro Serena Williams, but that of Tshegofatso Segwaba who has boldly proclaimed her quest to make history just as the greats before her.


Determined, dedicated, disciplined & delight are the words one can use to sum up Free State Women's Rugby captain Tshegofatso Segwaba. Born, breed and blossoming in Bloemfontein, she was not exposed to rugby in her upbringing, but Segwaba has grown into being at the forefront of the evolution of women's rugby, in the Free State.


The 23-year-old was allowed to play sports by her parents when growing up. She took her sporting gin from her late Father, who played football in his days. Segwaba used to be a tennis enthusiast but would later fall in love with rugby.


"So, one thing that made me fall in love with rugby was because I was fat. I was bullied for being fat. I wanted something to get me out of my desperate situation. And I wanted something that would expose me, to myself, but I wanted people to see me as the girl I was. With rugby, I was not just that “fat” girl, I had a purpose. I think God had a purpose for me to be fat so I can play rugby," said Segwaba.


The prop started taking rugby seriously in 2016 when she graduated to the senior team. Her journey with being integrated into the senior side is one not short of trials and tribulations. She endured a lot and push herself in order to be where she is today. A feat not seen by many with equal or more opportunities.


"I started taking rugby seriously in 2016 when I started playing for the senior team. Even though it was not easy for me, coming from the U/18 to senior team, I was yet to be polished into being the perfect senior girl. I came with the mentality of an under 18, I was not prepared for senior rugby. So I stayed on the bench for two years before I could be in the first team starting line-up. I had to practice hard and go to the gym. I had to take myself seriously before anyone else could take me seriously. That's one thing I didn't know, before playing for the senior team, I have to prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally in the senior rugby because it's different from [playing at] U/16 and U/18."


Throughout this testing period, her father provided her with endless support as he encouraged his baby girl to keep on going. He believed in her and knew her love for the sport was not that of a one-day enthusiast.


"I give credit for my talent to my father, my late father may his soul continue to rest in peace. I think he's one person that kept me going in this rugby thing because I wanted to quit. I thought that rugby had no future and I told my dad that I didn't see a reason for me to play rugby, but he said to me that I should not quit.”


“Maybe he knew one day, I’ll be spotted somewhere out in the world or I will be taken seriously. Because I told him almost every day since 2016, that staying on the bench was not nice, knowing that you can play better than anyone else on your position. It was frustrating for both my dad and myself, but he told me to never give up because he knew that I love rugby. I give him all the credit. I think I know that he's proud of me wherever he is. And I give him the credit.”

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After the phase of adjustment into the senior team, Segwaba would come into her own and soon had the captain armband graced upon her, something she has embraced fully. A testament to her character, determination and perseverance.


"The experience of being a captain is the best. Whenever people want to do interviews, it's a gift given the opportunity to do that. And I'm quite talkative. So I love interviews. I appreciate the experience that I was granted. It's a good experience, because it teaches me to be a leader; and it shows that the coach saw a leader in me by choosing me to be the captain, and I think I fought enough to be the captain.

It has its highs and lows. Its responsibilities are great and I try to lead by example both on and off the field. Whenever emotions are high during the game, I try to maintain my composure and calm my peers down. In the game, I talk to the referee and how I conduct myself around him, or her, sets an example for my teammates.


Off the field, I look after my actions and behaviour. So I avoid going out a lot. I do not drink. But I try to set a good example for the players. Even when the coach is addressing us, I'm quiet and I listen because I know the players are looking at me; if I talk, they talk too. If I am quiet, they too are quiet. At our award ceremony, I was given an award for being the 2019 captain and it was an honour, I am truly honoured to be the captain,"


Coaching is something Segwaba does, as its part of her love for rugby. She coaches children from as young as 6 years of age to 18 years of age, and this part of the game has impacted her life in many aspects.


"Yes, I am a coach, and that is going very well. It's quite touching coaching girls especially from different backgrounds. I learn a lot from these girls, even though they aren’t aware of it, but I learned to be patient. I learned to share; I love sharing by the way, and I learned to be a mother at a young age of 20. I learned to be a mother to 14-year-olds to 15-year-old, 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds. I’ve got to learn how easy it is for a girl to come from a background without money and I treat them equally whether you have 1000 or you have millions at your home, it doesn't matter when we are in the field. I am also part of  the GIR (Get Into Rugby) coaches, we teach little kids in  grade: one, two and three rugby, both girls and boys from different schools,"


Segwaba is passionate about rugby development and feels like more can be done to further the sport in the women's side.


"Women's rugby is not taken seriously, the ladies who were playing 12 years ago, when comparing, say things were better then, even the match fees were better. We need support: financially, mentally, physically, all of us, as the rugby ladies, soccer ladies, cricket ladies and netball ladies. We also need supporters, we need the crowd to come and watch us play. They can push you when they are singing and their presence can encourage you,"


We all look up to our parents and Segwaba is no different as she is following in her father's footsteps as she is studying to be a teacher. Her main goal in the upcoming years is to graduate and make her mother proud and honour the memory of her father.


“I'm going to study hard so that I can Graduate for my mother sake, and for my sake. I finished high school in 2015 and my peers right now are graduating and I'm only starting with school, with tertiary, now because my parents didn't have money. God is with me all the time. And His delay is not a denial. So I'm not going to pressurise myself and say that my peers are graduating, I should also graduate. I'm just going to take my time in this life thing.”


She also has an initiative that is aimed at giving to underprivileged girls a full make-up experience for their matric dance.


“Yes, I'm a makeup artist. I make-up unprivileged matric girls for the farewells. I just don't make-up them, I pamper them for their matric farewells. I look out for kids who don't have money to for their fails, for example, this year (2020) I have three girls that I am going to pamper. I don't have the money, I don't even have sponsors, but I'm doing it out of my pocket as broke as I am, but I know God will provide like always."


Hopes of playing for the Springbok ladies and a move abroad to England are harbouring in the mind of Segwaba. With her resilience, I would not bet against her touching all of her goals. The name is Dimakatso Tshegofatso Segwaba, and I trust you are going to know her.