New running club inspires community to better health
The new athletics club was launched with much fanfare.
UGU Athletics Club, a new running club, is the latest addition to the Port Shepstone athletics scene. A group of local residents banded together to form the club out of a desire to make running as a professional sport accessible to a wider community, especially in the greater Port Shepstone area. The members, comprising some very experienced local runners, have been meeting weekly for the past few months to get club registration with KZN Athletics under way. At its official launch at Port Shepstone Secondary last Saturday members of the club made their message, which is to inspire and assist the community to better health and well-being, clear.
Ugu Athletics Club president Adam Moosa said that the birth of this club marks an important moment in our town’s history as a huge step in the right direction. “I’m confident of this and I endorse this progressive move. We can all say, with confidence, that we are all on the same page, having finally started our home-grown club,” explained Mr Moosa. He encouraged everyone to take a keen interest in the sport of running and to support the club in all of its endeavours. “I urge our community, regardless of gender, colour or creed, to join hands and embrace the club as an integral part of their lives. I’m sure that the Ugu Athletics Club will build bridges between communities and fill the gaps within our fractured country which still reflect the bad elements of the past.”
In his address, Ugu Athletics Club’s chairman Pardon Mathebula pointed out that this club came about as a result of a call: a call from some local athletes that said, “we need an organisation near home, one that will create an environment where all of us can be involved in sporting activities.”
Mr Mathebula explained that the club was formed on August 19 and was registered on August 26. The club’s vision is quite clear: ‘Strive to be a professionally managed organisation whichpromotes active, healthy lifestyles to its members and that of the wider community through sports, by 2020’.
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“In keeping with our name, our emblem is the Port Shepstone lighthouse,” said Mr Mathebula. “When it came to deciding on a club motto, we wanted something that would propel us forward and we came up with close to 20 mottos, but one really stood out: ‘We run this town’,” smiled Mr Mathebula. He assured his guests that this club would benefit all ages with its four core purposes, road running, race walking, cross-country and youth development.
Guest of honour Blanche Moila unveiled the club’s emblem.
Blanche made history in 1984 when she became the first black female athlete to be awarded Springbok colours. Over the years she has become a sporting icon who has won more than 50 KZN road running, cross-country and track races. She has held national titles and records over various distances and has received many awards for her achievements as an athlete. These days Blanche devotes her time to the development and training of young female athletes and her petite figure and distinct turban are still seen at many races.
Raj Naganna gave a brief introduction to the club stating that it was not easy to form a club and even more difficult to run one. “Ugu Athletics Club, to run successfully, will depend on the assistance and support of the community to ensure effective sustainability,” he pointed out. He went on to thank the architect of the club, Eddie Ramaloo and his band of dedicated, energetic and hard working members who have started something that the entire community will remember for years to come.
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