POLOKWANE – Having grown up loving sports, especially rugby, Tebele ‘Spoedvark’ Letsoalo (22) is on a mission to spread his love for the game.
Coming from a small village called Mamahule, just outside Dalmada, Tebele is currently the rugby coach for the Hoërskool Westenburg Secondary girls rugby team as well as other rugby teams from different schools.
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He spoke to Review about his role as a coach as well as how his love and passion for rugby grew. “I grew up loving rugby as a sport. I’ve played the game since the age of 14 and I have never stopped. I now play for Noordelikes,” he said.
Tebele says coaching girls who know nothing about the sport is challenging but says like learning something new, you have to start with the basics.
“I started training the basics of rugby as they knew nothing about the sport. But now they have fully grasped the game and are able to play and compete with other schools with a proper understanding and sufficient knowledge the game. My aim is to see myself grow in this profession as well contribute to the overall growth and development of the sport, especially in our African communities. There is not a lot of African children who venture into rugby and I would like to see more of them on the field,’’ he said.
Tebele also spoke of how being a rugby player and a coach can be demanding as at times, he finds himself having to juggle the two roles of being a Noordelikes player as well as a coach.
