KaNyamazane Tennis Club aims to keep local children off the streets
The club provides the kids with a healthy activity, also instils in them self-discipline, life lessons, and an interest in all facets of life.
The KaNyamazane Tennis Club seeks to keep children and the youth off the township’s dangerous streets where violence, substance and alcohol abuse, and other social ills are still at an all-time high.
On a quest to achieve this, every week Coach Sydwell Mthombothi and Coach Ntombizwodwa Mlimi meet with players at the local tennis court. In addition, the club develops children into skilled tennis players.
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Mthombothi said in addition to providing the kids with a healthy activity, the club also instils in them self-discipline, life lessons, and an interest in all facets of life.
“We constantly encourage discipline on the court because if you respect the game, the game will respect you. Given the widespread of drugs and violent crimes in our community, we make every effort to start training children as early as age six so that they can grow into sport.
“We work to promote tennis as a distinctive sport – we noted that not everyone is skilled at playing soccer or netball. Coach Mlimi and I are both qualified instructors, so we attempt to pass along our knowledge to the younger players.”
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Mthombothi added that they are currently have 10 children in their club. Their aim is to have more than 50, only then will be satisfied that their work will change many lives. “This is a large community, so it will make us happy if parents feel comfortable and confident to leave their kids with us,” said Mthombothi.
The coach mentioned that they have numerous setbacks such as finances and equipment.
“One of the largest townships in Nsikazi is KaNyamazane, but there is only one tennis court, and it is in disrepair. If lots of children become interested and want to join, where will they play? As the coaches we try to chip in whenever we can, but there are so many things that are required that are not not enough to sustain a tennis club. We plead with everyone to support us in this honourable endeavour.”
