Sport

Tennis and swimming lessons empower Thembisa youth

Founded in 2009, the Nokuphila School campus in Thembisa goes beyond the call of duty to ensure learners can access resources beyond those usually available to minority groups.

The Love Trust is an SA NPO that has steadily made strides in local community upliftment for over a decade.

Founded in 2009, the Nokuphila School campus in Thembisa goes beyond the call of duty to ensure learners can access resources beyond those usually available to minority groups.

With a commitment to holistic education that hopes to impact the local community, one only needs to look at the sports superstars this school was instrumental in creating.

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Their newly launched on-site sports grounds emphasise their dedication to their learners’ well-being.

In the past two years, the school has embraced new challenges by exposing its learners to two sports not commonly played in rural townships around SA – tennis and swimming.

A gleeful Nokuphila student in her PE kit.

Anyone who watched King Richard, which tells the story of tennis sibling superstars Venus and Serena Williams, knows tennis is a game of skill requiring even greater discipline.

The mental strength required to stay focused and present on the court lends itself to a great life skill that one can use off-court.

Felicity Rugwaro (54) is an experienced primary school teacher who has been instrumental in running the Nokuphila tennis programme since its inception in 2022.

Their tennis programme kicked off with their foundation phase (grades one to three) learners and has expanded to include sessions for intermediate phase learners (grades four to seven).

Generous donations mean the school supplies tennis rackets and balls, and lessons happen on their on-campus court.

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Nokuphila meticulously planned the approach to their tennis coaching programme by holding focused training sessions to make their staff comfortable with the skills they need to coach tennis effectively.

“Our primary focus has been on developing foundational tennis skills before participating in competitions.

“By concentrating on skill development, we ensure our learners build a strong foundation, which is crucial for their long-term success and enjoyment,” said Rugwaro.

This focus on skill mastery aligns perfectly with their educational philosophy, where the emphasis lies on thorough, step-by-step learning processes tailored to the needs and development of each student.

Mmakwena Malete (28) is a sports officer qualified and armed with a BTech in biokinetics and a BTech in sports science.

Having been in her current position as a sports officer for the City of Johannesburg, she was referred to Nokuphila by a learner’s parent.

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After attending the Nokuphila Sports Day in 2023, they embarked on a joint venture to empower the learners with swimming lessons.

Malete uses the city’s Learn to Swim programme and gives lessons twice monthly at the Rabie Ridge Community Pool, working alongside the National Sea Rescue Institute’s qualified lifeguards who facilitate the lessons.

“The main goal is to teach these kids to be safe around water and avoid drowning. Once they are capable, they can participate in swimming as a sport.

“We hope to fill the many lifeguard vacancies available because most of our community members cannot swim and are afraid of water.

“This partnership goes further than water safety and can later provide jobs in our community,” said Malete.

While this programme is still in its infancy, Malete says there is hope that the Nokuphila staff members will also learn to swim.

Ultimately, this new partnership hopes to help eradicate the widespread fear of water by empowering community members with this critical life skill.

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