PeacePlayers South Africa Storybook FINAL - Flipbook - Page 56
II. WATCHING THEM GROW
Growing up in Lamontville, Thobani saw the temptations, especially for the
youth he worked with. Since he came from that community he understood
the environment from the participants’ perspective. Thobani recollects trying
to "protect them from the things I saw growing up." Although he couldn't save
participants from everything, he tried when he could.
Thobani remembers everything from picking participants up from parties they
had no business attending to seeing them in school uniform, confused about
why they didn't come to practice. At any given point, he'd ask, "why didn't you
come to the practice?" If the answer wasn't up to par, Coach Thobani demanded
10 pushups from the participant. For Thobani, it was about holding them
accountable and ensuring they were engaged in productive activities for their
development.
Today, it brings him joy that he sees himself in some of the participants he once
coached and that they ask for advice as they immerse themselves in their own
coaching journeys. Young coaches like Nududuzo Sosibo and Ntsiko Luthuli
come up to him and ask, “Coach, I'm stuck here. How can I improve on this?
What would your thought process be in this situation?”
“I watch so many kids grow from primary school to high school, and then I
end up officiating them in college,” says Thobani. Although Thobani isn't a staff
member of the organisation today, he's still into developing young people to see
the power in themselves.
These were just a few moments for Thobani that helped him understand that
his work was more significant than just being a Coach. He was a big brother,
mentor, and teacher.
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PEACEPLAYERS SOUTH AFRICA STORYBOOK
