Young coach wants to share his love for water

He believes it is not only the solution to prevent drownings but also to keep children off the street.
Nkosi has a level one certificate and would like to give back what he
had learnt to those who don’t know anything about swimming. He is currently a coach at Nelspruit Primary, Penryn College and Valencia, “It doesn’t mean if you don’t have the facilities, you cannot live your dream.”
He grew up in in Pienaar where he never had the chance as a young kid to learn how to swim, “I would run away from home just to take a dip in one of the dams nearby. It took me my whole life to realise there is nothing creepy about the open waters.”
In 2012, Nkosi met a lifeguard at a public swimming pool, something
that is very rare in needy communities. He realised this guy has water-safety skills and eagerly wanted to learn more, “I laughed when he spoke about swimming styles such as the butterfly and freestyle, because I have never heard words like that before. At first, I didn’t perform well, but I wanted to learn more and as time passed, I improved.”
That same year, he befriended an instructor, Michelle, where he helped her coach at various schools in the Lowveld. “She asked me if I like books and I replied of course. The Mpumalanga Swimming Union sent me on a course in 2013 in Johannesburg and I failed. I was determined to not give up and to redo the whole course and this time I succeeded.” Nkosi was
the only black man in the course and received 80 per cent on his report
card.

He is determined to learn everything there is to know about this sport,
“We teach the smaller kids to float and they love the water.”
This swim fanatic appeals to the government to build the necessary facilities to help create a better future for the youth.