UCT student steers national goalball team to victory

While everyone enjoyed a sunny December at the beach or beside the braai, Sinegugu Silara had her hands full preparing for a national goalball tournament – and winning, an extraordinary feat for the once player, turned assistant coach.

Silara, a second-year Bachelor of Social Science student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), who has also been a dedicated member of the UCT ParaSport Club, ushered the Western Cape girls’ goalball team to victory in a nail-biting final during the 2025 National School Sport Championships in December 2025.

Goalball is a team sport aimed specifically at athletes with vision impairments. The objective of the game is to throw a ball (with bells inside) past the opponents and into their net to score points. Players remain on their hands and knees to defend their net and score against their opponents. The sport was established in 1946 to help rehabilitate veterans who had lost their sight during the Second World War.

Passionate goalball player

As an avid goalball player, Silara has participated in several goalball tournaments over the years. But this one was particularly special. This time she traded the title of player for assistant coach and did an excellent job. During the final match, her team went head-to-head with the Eastern Cape and emerged champions. The final score was 22–18.

The National School Sports Summer Games is South Africa’s premier event for school athletes and brings together top young talent from all over the country to compete in various sports after district and provincial selections. The aim is to identify talent, foster social cohesion and healthy lifestyles through organised school sport. The tournament showcases several sports including softball, goalball, basketball and gymnastics.

“It was a very proud moment for me. Usually I’m the one playing, but this time I was assistant coach and the girls won their first gold medal. It meant everything to me. It boosted my confidence and strengthened my leadership skills and it’s true what they say, victory tastes sweet,” Silara said.

Stellar coaching performance

The team’s coach, Dr Muya Koloko, a postdoctoral fellow in UCT’s Division of Disability Studies in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, lauded Silara for doing an impressive job during her first coaching stint. He said she prioritised each team member individually and worked closely with them to ensure an outstanding performance on match day.

“She was stellar. She added some teambuilding activities to the departure camp and really pushed communication among the players and between the players and coaches. She made a point of studying each player and providing them with detailed feedback. So, they knew where they excelled and where there was room for improvement,” Dr Koloko said.

“I’ve often said I’m in the company of superstars and Sinegugu is one of the foremost examples of that.”

Because of her outstanding performance and her strong interpersonal and social skills, Koloko said he hopes Silara will be open to taking on additional coaching responsibilities, as well as get involved as a goalball player for the ParaSport Club this year.