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Ngqwele Dube
FOOTBALL coaching is usually reserved for those with wide experience in the sport and have seen it all in the game.
Coaching is known to be a profession of “elders”, usually those in their late 30s going upwards, but a youngster is defying the odds and making history of his own after turning to coaching at just 20 years of age.
After suffering a horrific injury that left him with three torn ligaments on his ankle, Bulawayo Province women’s side coach, Boga Ndebele, then aged 19, faced a bleak future in his favourite sport after being told by doctors he would not be able to play competitive football again.
“It was crushing news. It was ghastly contemplating life outside football and soon after the injury I was just depressed about having to leave the game but my then coach, Humphrey Museva, psyched me up after realising the injury left me depressed and told me coaching is a real alternative for me.
“He (Museva) told me I had exhibited signs of being a good coach during my playing days hence I could take that route and not leave the game,” said Ndebele, who won gold with the Bulawayo Province team at this year’s National Youth Games that were held in Chinhoyi. Museva said he saw potential in Ndebele and believes he can go far in his coaching career as he is eager to learn and is not headstrong. The 24-year-old gaffer says he was sceptical at the beginning but after realising that he had been frequently barking out instructions to other players on the pitch and easily soaked up the drills, he began believing he could take the coaching route.
His Nkulumane-based side, Flame Stars was supportive and gave him a role to coach the Under-14 side but more often than not he was thrown to the girls’ team, which most coaches felt was not that serious. In 2012 he did a course in physical fitness that was held by Zifa at Raylton Sports Club in Bulawayo and although he was hoping to start acquiring his coaching badges the same year, financial constraints only saw him registering for his first course in 2014.
After completing the Brazilian Coaching License Level 4, Mighty Warriors coach, Shadreck Mlauzi, who had spotted Ndebele in charge of Mandwandwe High School’s girls team arranged that the youthful gaffer join Inline Academy’s technical department early last year.
“I think Mlauzi saw the potential in me as he used to attend our games when I was in charge of Mandwandwe and he took me under his wing. After completing the Level 4 course instructed by Dalubuhle Bhebhe he suggested I take up a more serious post and that is when he arranged that I join Inline Academy in March last year,” said Ndebele.
“I am grateful Mlauzi appreciated my efforts because I developed a liking for his style of coaching and principles; he is my mentor, I look up to him.”
Last year he was drafted into the Judith Lunga-led technical department of the Youth Games provincial team and assisted during preparations on the pitch but did not travel with the team and with the absence of Lunga, the Zifa leadership decided to put Ndebele in charge of the side.
He said it was a challenge he relished and took with both hands adding that it brought him excitement and was a challenge that came at the right time. Ndebele said he always believed they could bring back gold despite the hurdles they faced including financial challenges that almost saw them abort the trip to Chinhoyi.
He was forced to take only 15 players instead of 18, but overcame the hurdle with flying colours, giving Bulawayo a gold in the women’s football competition for the first time in eight years.
“It wasn’t an ideal situation having 15 players as it hindered us in effectively implementing our tactical strategy in some games but we pulled through. There was determination in the squad and we were all eager to achieve success. I instilled the right attitude in the girls before we left and it worked for us,” said Ndebele.
The Nkulumane-bred coach did his primary at Mtshane in the suburb before proceeding to Mandwandwe for his O-level and did his A-level at Foundation College and was injured playing for the school’s team during a tournament at Hillside Teachers College in 2009.
He played for Flame Stars and briefly turned out for now defunct Otrick Spares in Division Two as a central defender before his career ended prematurely.
While his father was always supportive of his football career, his mother had misgivings as she felt Ndebele should pursue academic studies but his success as a coach has turned his mother to his side.
If he is not at the football pitch, Ndebele loves reading novels, playing volleyball and watching television but added he is hoping to register for a sports science degree next year.
Online Reporter