ESC empowers young black rugby players
Due to the shortage of black rugby players, Ekurhuleni Sports Council (ESC) is taking the matter to their hands by encouraging youngsters to take part in the sport.
Benny Mphahlele, the general secretary of ESC, said they are responding to the call from the former minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula.
“It was Mbalula’s dream to see the number of black rugby players increase in the rugby national team, because of the stigma in the sport and that people all along were thinking that the sport is only for white people. To remove that stigma we felt a need to do something by teaching young players more about the sport,” said Mphahlele.
Mphahlele said they are running primary school programmes that are meant to teach young players more about rugby.
“We teach young players about the rules of rugby. At the same time we teach them how to keep themselves fit. And that they must stay away from drugs if they want to go a long way in sports.
“We believe that the earlier we start to teach them the better.
“These lessons pay off because, you can now see that the love of the sport is developing in the young players,” said Mphahlele.
Mphahlele said rugby is one of the federations that they are supporting as ESC.
“We are a go-between for the rugby players and the Ekurhuleni Sports and Recreation (ESR).
“We find out what the players need and then report to ESR. Luckily ESR gives us support,” Mphahlele said.
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