Bid to revive Soweto hoops
SERIOUS efforts are being made to revive basketball in Soweto.
Jackie Masenya, one of the founding members of the sport in the township, says the once-thriving sport has been in decline for some time now but a lot of work is being done to try to resurrect it in Soweto.
“I always get upset when I drive around Soweto to see basketball courts empty .
“The only township where I saw youngsters playing was Diepkloof and it was disappointing that a place as big as Soweto had empty courts with nobody playing,” Masenya said.
But he believes that the situation is about to change and that basketball will once again become a popular sport in Soweto.
“We are going to have a tournament on December 12 and 13 at Elkah Stadium in Rockville,” Masenya said yesterday.
“Our aim is to start a strong basketball league, which will see all Soweto townships having a club.”
Basketball South Africa national administrator Tsepo Nyewe said they would not be able to assist with the tournament.
“I have just got a tax clearance after two years because Gauteng basketball could not account for the money they had been given by the national lottery,” Nyewe said.
“But I would advise them to go to the City of Joburg as I’m sure they would be able to help them.”
Article by Mogomotsi Selebi and orginally published in the Sowetan
Please foward my contacts to Mr Masenya as Joburg Basketball Association would like to know of his plans.
One of the most important questions, in my opinion, for South African basketball is “why play basketball”? The answer to this question will define what you hope to achieve, what the micro achievement milestones are, what is in it for those who play basketball or come to watch basketball and who you are trying to get to play basketball or come to basketball games. For example what are you trying to achieve by playing basketball; are you trying to be the best in the town, city, country, continent or world? Are your trying to keep kids of the street or is weekend fun? etc. Contrast this with other sporting codes in South Africa. What is in it for those who come to watch? Basketball is treated like a minnow, uncompetitive, little honour sport in South Africa, so why should people come to watch? There is feeling of “I was there”. You read newspapers, look on the internet beyond mybasketball, tv except for wheelchair bball, radio to try to find what or who won or did what, you get virtually nothing. It’s as if basketball is a national “who cares” sport. Why does a person have to pay $ on an external website to get detailed info about SA basketball. You have a national tournament, you struggle to even find out where it is. Once again “who cares”. Maybe if somebody cares, bball will get a massive revival. Sad…
‘There is feeling of “I was there”’ end should be ‘There is no feeling of “I was there”’