A PORT Elizabeth soccer ace has been called up to be a part of the South African senior women's national team's training camp at Wits University in Johannesburg.
New Brighton women soccer team City Lads midfielder Andisiwe Ndesi jetted off to join the Banyana Banyana provisional squad in Gauteng on Monday.
She was among seven new players called up by Banyana Banyana coach Joseph Mkhonza ahead of the eight-nation 2012 Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Women's Championship to be held in Equatorial Guinea this month.
East London-born, Ndesi, 27, said it felt great to be called up to the training camp of the national team.
"I'm also nervous but I've been waiting for this moment for a long time and my dream of playing for Banyana Banyana finally came true.
"I have been inspired by my mother who always watches me play whenever I play our away soccer matches in East London."
She said she had been playing soccer for the past 14 years and she was spotted by the national team selectors during the Sasol women's league championships that was held in Durban in June.
Ndesi left her family in Duncan Village, East London, to come and pursue her soccer career at City Lads after playing for Seagulls FC back home.
Her mother, Thenjiwe Ndesi, said she was excited to hear that her daughter had been called up for the national team training camp.
She said her daughter grew up playing street soccer with boys and she never played with other girls.
"She started playing soccer from primary school and she used to wear boy's trousers at school. "I never stopped her ... because I saw that she was taking soccer very seriously."
Lads coach Andile Mrwerwe said the team poached Ndesi from Seagulls FC after they were impressed by her playing style and skills.
"She is one of our best players and I believe she deserves the call-up from the national team coach.
"What I like about her is that she follows the instruction from the coach and she does exactly what she is told to do on the field."
Mkhonza will announce the final squad of 21 players that will compete in the CAF African Women's Championship event on Tuesday next week.
"A lot of lessons were learnt at the 2012 London Olympics where we played against some of the world's leading women's football nations, and we are looking at several new players to see what value they can bring to the national team set- up as we prepare for the CAF African Women's Championship 2012," Mkhonza said.
If Ndesi is selected for the final squad of Banyana Banyana, she will join another Port Elizabeth soccer player, Amanda Sister, in the national team.
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