KWALUSENI – A number of prominent football figures traded the roar of the crowd and the cut and thrust of the pitch for the solemnity of academic regalia this past Saturday.
This transpired at the 43rd University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Graduation Ceremony at the main Kwaluseni Campus in Matsapha.
Among the slightly over 1 500 students capped by the institution were two names well-known in Eswatini’s footballing circles: Respected match official Thandolwethu Gadlela and accomplished women’s player Noxolo Lukhele. Gadlela, a referee affiliated with both the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) and the Manzini Regional Football Association (MRFA), was awarded a Bachelor of Education Secondary (Humanities) Degree.
Lukhele, a talented player for Green Mamba Ladies Club and Captain of the University of Eswatini-Kwaluseni Campus Ladies Team, was capped with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree. Lukhele has also previously featured for local giants Denver Sundowns and Mbabane Swallows. The pair were quick to highlight the arduous task of juggling top-level football commitments with demanding academic schedules, citing discipline and prioritisation as the foundation of their success.
“Academics always came first, however,” Lukhele explained. “Luckily for me, there wasn’t that much training and activities at Denver and Swallows, which made it possible for me to pull through. Crucially, I arrived at Green Mamba towards the end when the academic workload was already lighter.”
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