Shakaskraal school teacher Queen Ndlovu on a mission to promote basketball
The sport's growth hinges on formalising its presence in townships and rural areas.
Shakaskraal SA Primary School teacher Queen Ndlovu was recently elected as president of the KZN Schools Basketball Association.
Since her election, Ndlovu has embarked on an ambitious journey to establish basketball leagues in townships, starting one community at a time.
“Our current focus is Shayamoya, where we’ve successfully established 10 teams, and we’re eager to finalise the league soon. Once we’ve established ourselves in Shayamoya, we’ll proceed to the next township.
“This progress is made possible through the involvement of former pupils I once coached at this school,” said Ndlovu.
According to her, the sport’s growth hinges on formalising its presence in townships and rural areas.
She’s hopeful that the government will provide support in building basketball courts.
This infrastructure would pave the way for competitive school tournaments locally, enabling children to compete against stronger provinces such as Gauteng.
The 52-year-old foundation phase teacher has been at Shakaskraal since 1995 and fondly recalls transforming the school’s netball team into a basketball team back in 1998.
Despite the lack of proper facilities, they utilised a nearby church’s car park as their makeshift court.
Hoops were marked with a cross on a tree – a true testament to their determination. Her first-time basketball coaching experience led her players to victory in a tournament held in KwaDukuza.
This initial success paved the way for a string of victories in various tournaments and the rise of a player named Lucky Mokoena, who now represents the South African netball team.
Ndlovu has a Level 1 basketball coaching certificate from the Department of Sport and Recreation and continues to promote the sport’s growth.
“While the support from teachers and the community used to be strong, it has waned over time. But we are determined to reignite the enthusiasm with the help of former pupils.
“School sport is crucial in shaping pupils’ minds and attitudes, at the same time helping to address social issues,” said Ndlovu.
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