Join wrestling club in Tsakane
“I also wanted to have such a sport in the township because the only sports we have here are soccer and netball. With all the talent in the township, the only way we can unearth it is to expose the children to it.”
Tsakane – Battle Ground Wrestling Club is broadening the horizons for children in Tsakane.
The club was founded by Commonwealth Games medallist Mpho Madi, who aimed to take children off the streets and into the training room.
“I also wanted to have such a sport in the township because the only sports we have here are soccer and netball.
“With all the talent in the township, the only way we can unearth it is to expose the children to it,” says Madi.
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The wrestling club practises at the Tsakane Stadium on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3.30pm.
One of the team managers, Israel Kgeletsane, says the club is important not only because it keeps children off the streets, but also because it exposes them to something new.
“When we go to tournaments, we notice that we are normally the only black team.
“This makes them believe that their skin colour is not a barrier for anything,” he says.
According to Kgeletsane, partaking in the sport also helps the children become disciplined.
He also says it is important for parents to support their children because it encourages them to perform better.
Patience Mavuso, one of the parents, does exactly that.
Her three children, Hlobisani Khumalo (10), Nkazimulo Ndlovu (9) and Nombuso Khumalo (8), are all members of Battle Ground Wrestling Club.
“My children joined in March after I saw my neighbour’s son going to practice and asked his mother what it was all about,” she says.
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Mavuso walks her children to practice every week, waits for them and attends all their tournaments.
“I want to support them because I want them to see that their mother cares about their interests,” she adds.
Mavuso says she likes the club as it keeps her children off the streets and away from illegal substances.
“I also like it because it encourages them to work harder in school as they want to speak English like the children they meet at tournaments,” she says.
Membership to the club is free, with new members only needing to bring a copy of their birth certificate and the correct contact details of their parents.
For more information, contact team manager Mpumelelo Mjoli on 081 245 3354.
