Avid cricket coach from Midrand shares his Wanderers journey
Tapiwa George Mukoki says he wants to help as many aspiring players as possible to reach the professional level.
Former Midrand Cricket Club (MCC) U8 academy coach Tapiwa George Mukoki believes coaching is always interesting as it keeps him abreast of modern coaching methods.
He says part of this is dealing with the mercurial culture of cricket and as a mentor one needs to always need to be on point.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Mukoki (35), resided in Midrand from March 2019 before moving to Wendywood, Sandton in March 2022 after joining Wanderers as a junior cricket coach and a player-coach.
He has one senior provincial representative match for his home team, Southern Rocks. “I joined Midrand Cricket Club through Rajesh Wengat who employed me as an U8 academy coach at Midrand Sports Academy which feeds into the Midrand Cricket Club junior system,” said Mukoki.
“I served as player, coach and club committee member until last year August when the new team was elected. So, it was three years in Midrand.”
He said his main role was junior coaching and assisting the club’s senior side with training drills. “My biggest achievement was getting certified as a cricket coach under Eastern Storm as a level 1 coach in 2019 and most recently level 2 with the same provincial body. On my level 2, I was privileged enough to be mentored by Israel Hlengani who is a former first-class cricket player and now the coaching instructor for Easterns.”
He said he had originally applied for a job at the Graham McMillan High Performance Academy which is based at the Wanderers Club in February last year and that’s how he got the nod for the coaching role.
As a player, he made his mark in the Wanderers President’s A team which is the second team to the Wanderers Premier League side. “I am opening the bowling and coming in as a number seven batsman. I have scored two 50+ scores and hoping to improve on that and make the premier league side. I have improved mentally as that is how you deal with everything at a competitive level. It all boils down to mental strength.”
In 1995, his uncle – his father’s younger brother – taught Mukoki how to bowl and they played a lot on their plot in Gweru, Zimbabwe.
Mukoki said Zimbabwe Cricket had Henry Olonga as the only black cricket player, so they always looked up to him for inspiration.
“With my personal sports brand which is Hard Core Basics sports, I do one-on-one mentorship with both local and international young players who look for specialised grooming and a better understanding of how to transition into the semi-pro level players,” concluded Mukoki.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/309617/club-prepares-for-premier-league/
