Developing Joburg youth through basketball

Top players are organising clinics and tournaments across the city to teach young people the love of the game. For basketball, they say, is more than a sport – it’s a way of life.
WITH a range of projects, from revamping courts to organising competitions, two top basketball players are making sure the sport is taking root in the inner city.

Coaching clinics are meant to rebuild skillsCoaching clinics are meant to rebuild skillsDetermined to return the sport to its former splendour, well known South African basketball players Ongkopotse “KP” Ndlovu and Tshepo Ditshego are working with other South African basketball players in bringing the sport to the attention of Joburg’s youth.

In 2006 Ndlovu started Loqdown Productions, which organises and hosts basketball tournaments, events, and clinics for youngsters around Joburg. Ditshego, who is part of Loqdown Productions, said since the collapse of the country’s professional basketball league between 2001 and 2005 there has not been anything for youngsters who have an interest in the sport to aspire to.

Basketball clinics
Loqdown Productions organised basketball clinics in various areas around Johannesburg from its inception. “These clinics were our starting point in getting young people together and rebuilding the skills and excitement for the sport,” said Ditshego.

The company has been involved in a number of basketball events with the aim of bringing awareness and drumming up support for basketball and kindling love for the sport in the country’s youth.

In 2007 the company did public relations work for the 2007 National Basketball Association (NBA) Basketball Without Borders (BWB) event held in Johannesburg. BWB is a basketball camp hosted by the NBA annually with the top 100 basketball players from all over Africa.

In October 2010 the company held a successful two-on-two tournament at the University of the Witwatersrand, attended by Under 16 high school students from Johannesburg.

This year the company conceptualised and organised the NBA Africa Mandela Day tournament on behalf of NBA Africa. The event was held on 16 July at Maponya Mall in Soweto.

Street Kings
Attwell Gardens Park in the inner cityAttwell Gardens Park in the inner city hosts a basketball tournamentIn September this year the company did the Nike Street Kings tournament, a basketball development programme aiming to align the Nike brand with the sport of basketball among sport-passionate youth. As part of this programme Loqdown Productions organised a competition for boys and girls under the age of 18.

The competition, at Attwell Gardens Park in the inner city, received overwhelming response from keen young basketball players from around Gauteng.

To prepare for the event the company revamped the basketball courts at the venue. New hoops were installed and the courts were repainted. Ten girls’ and boys’ teams competed in the event, which was attended by well-known basketball players, television and radio personalities, and prominent hip hop and rap artists.

The victorious teams on the day were Rosina Sedibane High School’s girls’ and boys’ teams. They won a one-year Nike merchandise sponsorship. “Seeing the kids when they received their prizes was just heart-warming,” said Lerato Ramasodi, who does events management for Loqdown Productions.

“It was an amazing event that really showed us how much young people love the game and want to play. It emphasised to us the need to grow the sport and have a professional league.”

Future projects
Ramasodi said they are really excited about projects in the pipeline. “We want to start working from the ground up so we plan to package different projects. We are planning to reach children from the different areas and develop their skills and love for the game.”

Ditshego said while some learners at private or advantaged schools still play the sport, those in a large number of schools in the townships and other areas don’t have that opportunity. “There isn’t a league for them to play in and there is no one working to rebuild the sport in the country. The events and clinics we organise are an opportunity for all children from different areas and different schools to showcase their talent and learn more about their chosen sport.”

Ongkopotse “KP” Ndlovu motivates youth at a basketball tournamentOngkopotse “KP” Ndlovu motivates youth at a basketball tournamentHe said they are currently engaging with the Department of Sports and Recreation South Africa and principals of schools around Gauteng, organising basketball tournaments in Johannesburg and revamping old basketball courts in Joburg’s inner city, in the hope of unearthing young talent and resurrecting a robust professional basketball league in the country.

Learning from football
To help them achieve their goal they are also seeking advice and learning from leaders in the country’s well established football league. “Ive been talking to some of the leaders in the country's successful football league to help me understand how to achieve the same esteem football holds in this country for basketball.”

Ndlovu said while he still plays, his focus right now is getting basketball to become one of the top sporting codes in the country.

He believes it’s more than a sport –it can be a powerful tool to offer young people a world of possibilities. “If you don’t have the opportunity to bounce a ball then you’ll never know how wonderful it is to play sport – you miss out on how you can use the sport as a catalyst for development. I want to give young people the chance to bounce a ball.”

Ditshego agrees. “Because of the way the sport is structured it provides young people with the chance to study and use basketball as a tool to be something – pursue a professional career as a player, or use the opportunities availed to them through the sport to unlock their potential and take up other interventions.”

Both of these passionate basketball players started playing the game at a young age. They have at least 20 years’ experience in the sport, and credit a lot of their growth and success in their lives to the skills they learnt on the basketball court.

Hard work
“I have achieved a lot in my life both in personal growth and in my career,” said Ndlovu. “Through basketball I’ve learnt the value of hard work, and determination. These two qualities have proven to be a key driver to achieving my goals.”

Premier Nomvula Mokonyane supports the revival of basketball in JoburgPremier Nomvula Mokonyane supports the revival of basketball in JoburgDitshego said he has learned to be a good leader and the importance of teamwork through playing basketball. “In my career and my current line of work I take on crucial leadership roles. The skills and knowledge I learned from basketball have taught me how to be a good leader and not to focus on individual glory but the achievement of great success through working together as a team.”

Both men are graduates of the University of the Witwatersrand, a privilege they believe can be availed to young people who may not be able to afford a tertiary education, through their involvement with the sport.

“Most of my friends who I played basketball with have a tertiary education and work as professionals in different industries today,” said Ndlovu. He received a basketball bursary when he was in high school to study at Wits. He hopes by rebuilding a professional basketball league more youngsters will also get the same chance. “So many young South Africans deserve that same opportunity, and that’s why we want to do this, we want to give young people the same possibilities.”

Ndlovu said he learned purpose at the age of nine when he first started playing basketball. Keen to master the sport, he would walk to the Ponte basketball courts in Berea and practise playing every afternoon. “The moment I found a place to play I wanted to use all my spare time to work on my game.”

Basketball culture
Twenty years later he is a walking symbol of the “basketball culture”. Tall with a firm physique, a laidback confident walk and the signature short-trimmed haircut, he sports the latest clothing labels, eyewear, sneakers and gadgets. He speaks with a particular dialect that is a combination of the highly influential American culture and street culture.

“It’s more than just a game and it never leaves you,” he said. “It’s a culture, the way you dress, the way you speak, the music you listen to, the way you walk, everything – who you are and how you do things. Basketball is a way of life.”

A confident sportsman, Ndlovu said he wants to impart all his skills in the game and knowledge of the world to children growing up today. “I was very shy as a boy; I was not good at public speaking. Through the game I was taught to always pursue excellence. By learning to always strive for excellence I became not only a great basketball player but also gained such confidence I felt I could do anything.”

He said through the game he has had the chance to travel the world, representing his country and learning valuable life skills, while also mastering his basketball skills. “Most countries I’ve been to in my life, I went there through playing basketball. I’ve played in various tournaments including the Youth Olympics, the World Students Games, and the All Africa games. These were played in different countries including Russia, Turkey, China, Kenya, Mozambique, and Malaysia.”

Ndlovu was also invited to attend in the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in the US in February 2010. “It was a great honour to be invited by the NBA to the All-Star Weekend. Thanks to president of NBA Africa Amadou Fall and John Manyo Plange senior director of NBA Africa I even got to meet the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern. The entire experience reassured me I had made a notable mark in the sport in my country.”