The appointment of Desmond Crowie as coach of the Maties Football club heralds a new chapter for the Stellenbosch University team.

Crowie has been involved with football on a coaching level for some 22 years and was also a player for nine years. He comes to Maties from Milano United, a football club based in Grassy Park that plays in the national first division.

"It's a great challenge to start something new at the university. It's a new chapter in my coaching career, something totally different from what I'm used to. That in its entirety excites me," said Crowie.

He describes himself as a pragmatic coach. "I can adapt to the players at my disposal. I can relate to them and make them understand what's important to succeed – not only in soccer but also in life."

Crowie has big goals for the Maties club. He will focus on building a pool of players to work with and creating a winning mentality. He also wants to put structures in place for future participation in Varsity Football, implement recruitment structures and prepare the team to be competitive at USSA.

He knows it won't be easy and that challenges await him.

"I must change the mentality of the sport/soccer fraternity at Maties. We must show that soccer can be one of the top sporting codes if structures are in place. The scouting network on and off the campus must improve to attract more soccer players to the university."

Despite all the challenges he is very excited with what the future holds. 

"Building something from scratch and laying a foundation excites me. Once the foundation is solid winning can become a habit. Short-term success doesn't excite me; longevity is what's important."