19-year-old Kwanda Ngcobo has defied the odds as he tackles life’s daily challenges to ensure that he one day reaches his goal of becoming a professional football player.
Kwanda was born with a congenital bilateral elbow deformity – which means his right arm does not have an elbow, making his right arm relatively shorter than the left arm.
This has tempered his ability to throw and catch a ball, and he is not able to do push-ups and various other exercises during soccer practice – but despite this, he is still a ‘machine’ on the field when it comes to his footwork.
“I am just a boy with a passion for football. It’s the only thing I breathe day in and day out. You will always find me watching past or current matches, trying to take notes on where I can improve my skills to become the best of the best,” he said optimistically.
Who is Kwanda Ngcobo?
Kwanda was born on June 30, 2004, at Madadeni Provincial Hospital in Newcastle. He grew up in Osizweni D-Section, where he attended Phambili and Suryaville Primary Schools. He moved on to Thubelihle High School before going over to Cacamezela High School, where he is currently completing his Matric year.
“I have eight family members, and currently I reside with my grandparents, uncle, and two aunts. My parents, younger brother, and great-grandmother reside on the other side of the township in eMlazi,” he said.
A passion for football:
According to Kwanda, his passion for soccer started when he sat and watched the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“I started participating in the sport because I wanted to express myself like the other kids were doing. I wanted to feel the joy that they felt. Luckily, I found a man named Sipho ‘Mtsetse’ Nkosi. He is the one who took me from the streets when I was 11 years old and he taught me football basics and groomed me to become the best I could be. I was also lucky because he coached me at Cacamezela High School, where we got to deliver two cups for the school (the Kay Motsepe Cup and Helman Mkhelele’s Cup).”
Kwanda’s long-term goal is to one day be given a PSL contract where he will hopefully play as many seasons as he possibly can.
From there, he plans on moving abroad to further his career there, adding ‘that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and your abilities.’
His role model in the industry is Sicelokuhle Hlatshwayo, who currently plays for the Golden Arrows Football Club.
“Soccer is life to me, and it has helped me gain confidence in myself, as it’s not easy living in a society when you are disabled as one is criticised and badmouthed. However, I keep my head up and I move forward. Soccer has also saved me from getting involved in dangerous situations, including gangsterism,” he explained.
A word of motivation:
Kwanda wants to encourage those who like him to never look down on themselves because a disability does not mean an inability.
“Keep doing your best, and the Lord will take care of the rest!”
He further encourages football coaches and scouts to consider more disabled players, as he believes they deserve the same opportunities to play in bigger leagues like the DSTV Diski Challenge League, stating that he had never seen a disabled soccer player in the top-flight football leagues.
“We are all equal at the end of the day.”
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