Coach George: a man who ‘runs’ the show
When coach George Mehale tells athletes how to better their game, he speaks from experience.
POLOKWANE – Mehale attended Mohlakeneng High School where he started as a soccer player for the school and the City Carlton Soccer Club in Seshego.
He completed his teachers course after school and started his athletics career, specialising in the 400 m and 400 m hurdles, soon becoming the country’s South African high school and South African senior champion.
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Through this achievement, he obtained a scholarship to the University of Texas-El Paso in the United States.
“South Africa at that time was not allowed to take part in other competitions. I had the talent so I moved to the States,” he says about the opportunity given to him.
More championships awaited, and he added to his medal collection the Western Athletics conference championship, Western Athletics championship and the national championship, among others.
He was also inducted into the hall of fame at the university.
After completing a B.A degree in physical education and health, and coaching the men’s cross country and athletics teams in Olahoma, Los Angeles, he returned to South Africa.
Today, he is a certified physical fitness specialist, fitness instructor, certified with the national effective coaching programme and works as a certified business consultant.
When he returned to Polokwane after 2010, he looked to see where his skills could best be applied in terms of athletes and coaching.
“I saw the opportunity and started an athletics club with just one athlete at the time. Today we are over 100-strong and the athletes whom I coach know that I give them my best and except nothing less in return.”
He teaches athletes from the age of nine.
Oscar Mabunda is one of the athletes that George has helped to reach his dream – in cross country nationals there are no fewer than five athletes who he helped make it there every year.
“The biggest challenge that coaches and athletes face in this country is that the country needs to take athletics more seriously. Athletics can bring in more money to the city and province than any other sport because we have the national talent and the provincial talent to fill the stadiums. This means more money for places to sleep, people must eat and obviously you need to sell tickets. People will come and pay to see talent,” he adds.
His advice to any person when it comes to any sport is to be fit. You can do nothing if you cannot run.
“If you want to be a rugby player or soccer player you need to run first. Everything starts with running. Make a plan to run even if it is just for fun, be active and stay healthy,” he advises.
His advice to other coaches is to know that it is all about the money.
“You need to understand that sport evolves and that you need to keep on learning and evolving with it to make sure you up your game and the game of your athletes,” he says.
