Desiree Ellis receives honorary doctorate: Women in sports should never take anything for granted

CAPE TOWN - Banyana Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis says women in sport should never take anything for granted and should always grab opportunities with both hands.

Ellis was speaking at a graduation ceremony at CPUT Bellville campus in Cape Town, where she received an honorary doctorate for her role in women's football.

Desiree Ellis has spent over 21 years with Banyana Banyana, 11 years as a player and 10 years as a coach.

READ: Ellis hopes home advantage gives Banyana edge in crucial Olympic qualifier against Nigeria

She said women’s football had improved significantly over the years though more still needs to be done.

“When we qualified for the World Cup and got to the last 16, we said it’s imperative that we get a professional league, and that’s still my stunt because we are competing against professional players out there who do this for a living. We still have girls who go to work and still have to train in the evening.”

The Banyana Banyana coach said being awarded the honorary doctorate meant a lot for her because it showed that her work was recognised.