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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FROM being a past-time to producing champions, this is the story of Njube Boxing Club which celebrated its first anniversary on Wednesday, January 18.
The love for making an impact on youngsters through sport inspired former footballer Arnold Sibanda to establish Njube Boxing Club.
Popularly known as King Yaya, Sibanda, who deals in mobile phones, decided to break the common norm among retired footballers of pursuing coaching, players’ welfare management, fitness training and in some cases administrative duties as he headed to boxing.
Njube Boxing Club is based at the home of the revered multi-award winning arts group – Umkhathi Theatre at the former beer garden Salukazi in Njube’s E-Square.
When the boxing club which caters for boys and girls between the ages of seven and 23 years started, there were eight participants and now there are 35.
Sibanda is happy with the impact that the club has had in the lives of aspiring boxers, a majority of whom were introduced to the sport last year.
“Only our club captain Lukhanyiso Moyo (23) who is the oldest previously played boxing at Lobengula’s Sikhulile Boxing Club. When Sikhulile folded in 2018, he quit the sport and only returned last year to join us.
“The journey has been great and what pleases me is that we’re turning these kids who didn’t play the sport into champions. These kids knew nothing about boxing at the beginning and now they are slowly becoming a force to reckon with in the boxing circles having participated in national tournaments where they won a number of medals and certificates. This is really satisfying,” said Sibanda.
A fitness fanatic, the former Njube Sundowns and Umthala Juniors player, who went on to play for Mpopoma’s Ajax Hotspurs as well as Quelaton FC has also capacitated himself with boxing qualifications.
“I was like a bush mechanic when I formed Njube Boxing Club as I knew some tricks but wasn’t qualified. In May last year, I then attended a Level One Boxing Coaching Clinic that was facilitated by South Africa’s Mannie Fernandes of BRD Boxing Stable. Doing the course made me appreciate a number of things and I’m now a better trainer, teaching the kids proper techniques,” said a soft-spoken Sibanda.
His desire is to see champions coming out of Njube Boxing Club.
Sibanda said the door is open for out of Njube aspiring boxers.
“As a footballer, I played and trained with teams outside Njube, made friends and that shaped my destiny. I might have not played outside the country as I wished, but football kept me away from social ills like drugs and gangs. For these reasons, Njube Boxing Club is open to any aspiring boxer as we don’t only teach boxing but life skills as well,” emphasised Sibanda.
Inadequate training equipment and financial challenges that have limited the number of boxers that they take for tournaments are some of the challenges that Sibanda faces at the club.
He appealed for assistance in raising funds to cater for school fees for some of his boxers.
“I grew up in the ghetto and I know the challenges that some of these kids face. Some live with elderly people and are in school fees arrears, some need food and clothing among other things. It’s little things that motivate these youngsters and recently, I had to clear school fees arrears for one of the boxers who hadn’t paid fees since Grade 3 and after being told that the school was withholding results as the boxer was going to Form 1, I had to make something for my boxer,” Sibanda said.
The Njube Boxing Club founder thanked United States of America based Keith Dangarembwa and Martin Masina who is in the UK for supporting them with gloves, pads and skipping ropes.
Parents of the boxers described Sibanda as a role model for their kids and pleaded with well-wishers to assist the club.
“He is doing a wonderful job for the kids and community. Boxing might open doors for some of the kids who are not academically gifted. The sport also keeps the kid fit and teaches them discipline.
“I’ve had conversations with my two kids, a girl in Grade 7 and a boy in Grade 2 telling me that their coach (Sibanda) insists that they come to training having done all their house chores,” said Sukoluhle Ncube.
One of her kids, seven-year-old Wisdom Sibanda got the Most Dedicated boxer award in recognition for being the only pugilist who attended all the club’s training sessions last year.
Bongeka Sibanda, whose nephew Somandla (13) won the Most Improved Boxer Award said: “Somandla has found a father figure and purpose at the club. He has been taught to be disciplined and is also punctual and responsible now. He joined the club in August last year and by the end of the year, he won two out of the three competitions he participated in. I’m happy with the potential that is showing in him.”
Enzo Tafirenyika, father to 13-year-old Gamuchirai Tafirenyika who got the Best Female and the Most Hardworking boxer accolades said his daughter had never done boxing before and her development is amazing.
“These days you can’t talk about academics only, some of the kids are talented in sport and Gamu is proving to be a good boxer. Boxing also keeps her occupied, meaning she has little time to participate in bad things. I hope she maintains the discipline and becomes a prominent boxer,” Enzo said.
Gamuchirai lost two of her first fights and went on to register four wins at the national competitions in her debut year. —@ZililoR
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