Lwazi Mlondolozi, the founder and coach of The Mdantsane Eagles Baseball Club, will be providing coaching clinics to schools and clubs in Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay throughout October, in collaboration with visiting coaches from Play Global.
Mlodonlozi’s pioneering efforts to revive baseball as a sporting code in the Mdantsane area saw him win the Nestle Barone One Starters Award, which is awarded to people who contribute positively to their communities.
Play Global is a non profit organisation that teaches baseball to coaches and youth in developing countries and areas of conflict.
Kevin Smith, from the US, is one of Play Global’s coaches who will be joining Mlondolozi in a month-long programme that will cover the basics of baseball.
The first session will be held at Sakisizwe High School in Mdantsane on October 1.
Smith will lead the first session, which will focus on the basics of pitching.
Mlodonlozi hopes Play Global’s involvement in grassroots baseball development will encourage the department of sports, arts, culture & recreation to give greater support to different types of sporting codes.
“The department prioritises sports such as rugby and ignores the developing codes.
“If they can tap into the small codes they will realise a lot of development is happening locally.”
Smith and Play Global will also help Mlondonlozi and local baseball coaches to establish clubs.
Mlondolozi said schools prioritised sports such as rugby because of future job opportunities, which smaller sporting codes often did not offer.
However, he said the skills learnt and improved quality of life gained from playing any sport was hugely beneficial.
Mlondolozi will be holding awareness events to promote baseball.
Play Global has committed to supply baseball-related resources in Buffalo City, depending on the availability of funds.
Regarding the problem of theft and vandalism of sports facilities, Smith said: “Theft of resources happens everywhere, not just in South Africa but when we push through those problems we can reach a stage in our communities where people protect the resources because they are proud of their local teams and athletes and that pride is what we want to cultivate as Play Global.”
