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ONLY FACILITIES ON LOCKDOWN, NOT BODIES - COACHES

15/01/2021 01:03:00 BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO

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MBABANE – The role played by the different sporting coaches is very crucial during the current period of partial lockdown in the country.

As already announced by the country’s authorities, no gatherings of any kind will be permitted, meaning that all sporting activities are on hold to assist in the means of containing the spread of COVID-19.

The reality is that this lockdown is impacting negatively on athletes, hence individual training programmes are now the only solution for them as the world battles the fatal impact of this virus on people’s lives. The Times Sports Desk spoke to some of the local coaches from the different sporting fields to establish how they were assisting their athletes to maintain fitness during the current lockdown. It’s an interesting read...enjoy!

Linda ‘Master’ Dlamini (Teqball)

“My advice to athletes is, stay fit, let them ask for training programmes from their coaches. The coaches must monitor if the athletes are training by demanding short video clips every after two days of training.

“The lockdown will have a negative impact on athletes because they were in lockdown for seven months doing nothing and by then, they were getting used to normal life and had to abandon their training routines. This has halted progress in their fitness and if this situation does not change for the better, sports are going to suffer.”

Welcome Nhlabatsi

(Swim Lab, Swimming)

“Athletes should not lose focus. They need to keep doing whatever they could to keep fit and stay safe. I really feel sorry for them during such difficult times and us as coaches we are also suffering. I wish government could have a special arrangement for those athletes preparing for Olympic games to be allowed to train. COVID-19 is still a big challenge despite that we are following all the regulations. For me, only the vaccine will help at the moment.”

Delisa Malinga

(Mbabane Cricket)

“In cricket, bowlers must do lot of running. There is lot of running and pace needed when you bowl and it is time they work on their fitness. Batsman can concentrate on shots at backyards. Everyone must stay fit and build necessary muscles and do trainings like weightlifting. Even ball juggling is good and the important thing is to do it individually during this time when sporting activities are suspended. The standard is now slow due to lack of competitions as they are important. We have to practice as a team to play well and now we are denied that chance by the virus.

“The standard of playing will be affected all over the world as COVID-19 has affected all of us. Individual performances will be seen especially if an athlete uses this time for training and working hard. Funds must be shifted to secure bio-bubbles and that could work for sports as government is now doing testing for free. We must invest more on live coverage of sports in the country including television, so sports can survive and be played under the situation. Lockdown effects are already visible. People are dying and some of the things that could help are to stay at home and keep yourself busy and try by all means to be stress free.

Muzi Mabuza (MAC, Athletics)

“I think one needs to first, pass his condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones, we are indeed going through challenging times. The athletes are busy preparing for a packed international calendar. I know we all talk about the Olympic games billed for Japan, but we also have world junior champs on the African soil in Kenya and five games in Lesotho. It is sad that they have to lose time to have ideal training. In the midst of this, it is still possible to train. First, athletes must work on their mental work because they need to have the ability to sort the sieves mentally first and face the hardships with a positive mindset so that they don’t get into depression and lose focus on the task ahead. They should keep their mind at their goals and this will help them to stay focussed and motivated. Athletes should train at home and try by all means to observe the COVID-19 regulations as they train so that they can protect not just themselves, but their loved ones as well. There has been lot of negative effects since the outbreak.

“We had a running camp but we had to cut it short in respect of the regulations. What makes it hard is the fact that their competitors in other countries are training well with minimum destruction. Associations, sports ministry and Olympic committees have to engage with relevant bodies to ensure that athletes can train so that they compete well in forthcoming competitions. This requires that we take our few elite athletes, keep them together like a bio-bubble and make sure they train and get some certain level of protection from COVID-19 and the effect of lockdown. We need to re-strategies and adapt to the new normal in terms of training and conducting competitions but we really have to stay engaged. Sports people should come together and map a way forward.”

Fanana ‘Tyson’ Dlamini

(Matsapha, Boxing)

“To my fellow athletes and coaches please be safe and disciplined. The second wave seems to be more dangerous than the first one and we need to follow every precaution given to us. In our sports, we are faced with a huge challenge because of COVID-19. The standard of play will eventually drop under the current situation. At the moment, we need to stay focused and wait for the situation to be over maybe after everyone is vaccinated we can start planning for the future by working together. For now, let us all pray for the vaccine to come because it’s the only solution and on top of that there is God Almighty so we don’t have to stop praying.”

Gabisile Mkhabela

(Mhlume, Tennis)

“The only players to be affected will be those who will use the lockdown as an opportunity to shy away from sports. The only effect I can think of is socially with friends because after lockdown some players might come back fitter and better depending on how they used their lockdown period. We must remember that it is not our hands, feet and minds that are on lockdown but just the facilities.

“You can still keep in touch with the coach and friends. There are three elements in sports, physical, technical, tactical and mental. This can be an opportunity to isolate each of these elements and develop them, for example, physical training at home, jumps, skips, throwing, runs and many more. This could be the opportunity to know more about the sport, research and learn what other people do, problems encountered and relate to your current situation. Use any available space to develop, play against the wall, with siblings or yourself. I can encourage all athletes to adhere to COVID-19 rules and regulations as set up by government and governing bodies. In that way, we might speed up the process of getting back to normal. That is what I wish for now but in the meantime, we should preach social distancing, masks, washing hands and sanitising.”