Sanele to coach girl’s provincial basketball team
His hard work speaks for itself, as five of his players from Masizakhe have been selected to play for the Mpumalanga team.
Sanele Mahlangu is breaking barriers in sports and is the new U/18 Mpumalanga girls’ basketball coach.
Born and bred in Breyten, he is passionate about improving school sport in his hometown.
He moved to Ermelo at a young age and began his schooling at Peter Mabuza Primary School. However, he went back to Breyten, finishing his Grade 12 at Masizakhe Secondary School.
A natural athlete, he has played many a sport, but took basketball seriously when he was in high school. Sanele proudly states he and his team were the pioneers of introducing the sport to the school and the community as it is not a common sport in townships.
He played for the junior and senior team and earned his provincial colours twice, consecutively. “It was not easy getting into the provincial team. I was turned down three times before I finally made the cut on my fourth trial,” Sanele says.
After high school, he went to Gert Sibande TVET College, graduating with a Diploma in Management Assistance.
He played for the college team and earned more provincial colours when he was selected to play for the Mpumalanga men’s basketball team.
It is not just basketball that drives this athlete; he is well known in netball circles across the province. He plays for the Thunderboys netball team that is based in Breyten and participates in the GS Netball League.
He is a certified netball umpire and was chosen for the boys’ netball provincial team, but unfortunately, due to lack of funds, the team did not play any competitive matches.
“I took an interest in netball when a team of girls begged my basketball team to train with them for fitness and stamina. I saw that the sport is similar to basketball as some rules apply in both sporting codes and that is when I was hooked,” says Sanele.
He says he took up umpiring to right all the wrongs he used to be penalised for as the standard of umpiring at that stage was very low. He just wrapped up the season as umpire in the GS Netball League
He does sport part-time, as he currently works at the Department of Education circuit office as an administrator.
After years at the Ermelo office, he is now based in his hometown of Breyten where he always seems to end up.
“No matter where I go, whenever I leave Breyten, I somehow always end up going back there. It is home for me,” he says.
It was then that Sanele offered to coach the basketball team at his alma mater, Masizakhe Secondary School. He is the coach of the girls’ teams and assists with the boys’ team.
His hard work speaks for itself, as five of his players from Masizakhe have been selected to play for the Mpumalanga team that will participate in the national championships in Cape Town at the end of the year.
He was chosen to coach the U/18 girls’ provincial team as his team showed the most improvement by having the most players in the provincial team.
They will participate in a basketball camp three days before the national championships where they will meet with all team mates from around the province.
“It still has not sunk in yet. The magnitude of what has happened, what I have achieved, that a guy from a small town in Breyten is now a coach of a provincial team. I am honoured, excited and anxious at the same time, because it is a huge responsibility. However, I feel as if all that I have done in my basketball career has led me to this and I will do the job accordingly.
Sanele has other interest besides sport. An avid filmmaker and producer, he is part of the BNP (Broke Money No Money) production team that films and produces school sports and weddings.
When asked what his favourite sport is, he proudly admits that basketball is his life.
