Mandla Mbotho, who lives in Potchefstroom, has started an initiative called Sport Is Life Movement (SILM), a non-profit company (NPC) that aims to uplift the youth.
“SILM mainly focuses on sports development for the youth and the development of the community over-all,” Mandla explained. Mandla added that the NPC, established in 2021, specifically targets township schools and develops sports facilities there.
So far, SILM has been to Promosa Primary School, Mohadin Primary School and B.M. Choabi to scout for talent. “Upon the introduction of our NPC, we initially sent letters to different schools in Promosa for learners interested in playing hockey,” Mandla explained.
SILM, with the assistance of NWU hockey sports director Sheldon Rostron, took these learners to the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup to develop them.
Due to the change in dynamics, SILM then took the programme to Keagile Primary School and officially introduced hockey there. Before the North West hockey trial practices, four boys from Keagile Primary were identified for the trials, and North West Hockey selected Mairon Drift. SILM aims to groom and develop Mairon Drift’s sporting career and eventually get him a bursary.
“If he manages to get into a high-performance environment, we hope to find him a good school for next year, as he is currently in grade 7,” Mandla said. According to Mairon’s father, his son is quite intelligent and well-mannered.
Mairon recently attended the modified hockey workshop and received an Adidas bag and tracksuit to put his school on the map.“This is a significant achievement, considering he comes from a disadvantaged school,” Mandla explained. “If one looks at the facilities in township schools, compared to the ones in town, you will notice that township schools have been over.
