Ndumiso Xulu and his 12-year-old daughter, Yandisa, share a bond as unbreakable as the personal trainer’s forearms. Known as “Mac” to his gym community, the 35-year-old single dad lives for his daughters. While only Yandisa lives with him full-time, Mac remains a devoted father to her older sibling as well, maintaining close ties and supporting both girls with unwavering love and commitment. Yandisa caught the eye of the Herald while playing for New Republic School’s second rugby team. She and another girl are part of this very male-dominated team, but Yandisa stands her ground with her playful, shy yet strong character. The grade seven learner played her first game for the under-11 team two years ago when she was spotted by one of the school’s coaches. Following in her father’s footsteps, who was an avid rugby player, Yandisa began playing as a prop, but this year she swapped to lock.”I think she was selected for the second team because when her academic marks dropped last year, I forbade her from playing rugby.” This year, Yandisa improved her scholastic performance, and Mac relented and she was quickly back on the field. She also excels in athletics and soccer. Asking her how she handles her team’s wins and losses, she smiled and said: “I feel sad when we lose but know that we must do better in our next match. I motivate myself and my team so that we can play stronger.” She says the boys in the team accept her and respect her; she is part of one team regardless of her gender. Playing rugby has boosted her confidence level tremendously. Asking her father what his favourite moment is when he sees her play rugby, his answer is clear: “When I see her play, she reminds me of myself – I see myself. I get very emotional when I see her on the field.” Yandisa says that some of the boys are scared to tackle her, but most don’t even know that she is a girl. “I wear a scrum cap and my hair is short. They think that I am a boy and only find out after the game that I am a girl.” Asked how Mac balances everyday life with being a single father, he says he tries to keep Yandisa as close to him as he can. “The only time that we are not together is when she is at school, at practice or visiting her mother. But mostly she is with me. She comes to the gym after school.” Striking a balance between pressuring and encouraging her, Mac says he always tells her to put in ‘120% when she plays, even when losing’ “I tell her: just make sure that you play your part and make sure that you do your job on the field.” Discipline is the most important value he can pass on to his daughter.”I always speak to her about discipline. It applies everywhere in your life… school, work, sport and life in general. That is what I try to instil in her.” A typical weekend for this duo involves staying at home, going to the park with the dogs or playing a friendly game of one-on-one rugby. Asked what surprised him most about parenting, Mac said ‘having to share almost everything’. “You can’t have your favourite chocolate alone, because then you feel guilty and you save her a piece, even when she is not around.” When he is not parenting (which is not very often), Mac loves music and even writes lyrics and performs his own rap songs. For Yandisa, if she could choose a superpower for her rugby it would be speed. “I want to be fast so I can go and score a try.” She’s already made her mark on the field this season with a try under her belt. “There will be a lot of chatting,” he chuckles when asked what people wouldn’t expect about being a girl dad. “Girls chat a lot. She chats to me about everything, and I just have to listen — all the time.” For Mac, his journey as a father has been deeply personal and healing. “If there were a movie about my parenting journey, it would be called My Daughter Saved My Life,” he says with emotion. “I had reached a dead end. I didn’t know how to move forward. I lost my mother and grandmother around the same time, and it felt like the world had ended. But I had to keep going for Yandisa’s sake. She gave me the strength to build a bridge over those emotions and keep moving.” Now, Mac is appealing for help to allow his daughter, who deserves, to attend a high school that offers girls’ rugby. “I would love to enrol her in a school where she can develop her talent. But I need assistance, maybe even a scholarship.” Anyone who can assist can contact Mac directly on 073 734 5997.

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.