Lungi to set world stage alight

“EVEN now, I can be sitting in a local bar and people will come up and say how proud they are of me. People realise how difficult it can be, especially with the challenges we face living in the townships.”

These are the words of popular SA hockey team forward Lungile “Lungi” Tsolekile, who after his brother Thami was just the second black South African to play in the national team.

 Lungi takes to the Kyocera Stadium pitch in the green and gold on Sunday, the man from Langa Township in the Western Cape set to take on back-to-back Olympic champions Germany in their first match of Hockey World Cup 2014, which takes place in The Hague, Holland until June 15.

The Western Province player is an immediately likeable personality, easy to talk to, and has made a remarkable comeback after retiring from the international stage following the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

An eye-catching performer in the WP team that won the SA Interprovincial Tournament in Cape Town last year, Tsolekile came back into the picture when new national head coach, Fabian Gregory, from East London, took over the reins four months ago and he has never looked back, playing in every series and tournament thereafter.

Tsolekile never really stopped playing during his international break. A passionate member of Langa Hockey Club, for whom he still plays and coaches, he was still around the game and the return to top level wasn’t daunting. Tactically aware, Tsolekile has the ability to hold the ball up and play off his midfielders coming through, and his experience is invaluable to the team.

After isolation ended in the early nineties the stage was set for many financially disadvantaged township players from the other side of the divide to represent a unified SA but as Tsolekile says, the reality is far different.

“It was a much slower process than that. Things have progressed but not as quickly as I would have expected. For example, in 1999 Thami made his debut for the SA hockey team, in 2004 I made my debut, in 2008 Ben Mbana and in 2011 Lonwabo Mvimbi; the only black South Africans that have represented SA at the highest level.”

In an amateur sport in South Africa – even at Tsolekile’s level – a major factor in this situation is a lack of money. As Lungi says, “Although people living in Langa have access to education and are passionate about sport, there is still a lot of deprivation and all members of the family are expected to pitch in and work for a living as soon as possible.”

This makes it very difficult for a Langa mother and father, keen on hockey as they may possibly be , to justify the financing of their grown-up child’s hockey career – and in some cases the offspring’s weeks and even months entirely committed to the sport to the detriment of earning a living.

Thami’s option for professional cricket was a no-brainer.

Tsolekile says male sport is also seen in a better light and for the girls to continue playing is not always welcomed as many believe their role should be of carer and wage earner.

Lungi freely admits he has been fortunate in having friends and family who have always rallied round to support him

However, it was a banker that he would play top-level hockey, whereas other moms and dads cannot say that for certain and therefore bankroll their kids’ careers.

International recognition has not turned his head and Tsolekile remains player/coach/secretary at Langa Hockey Club and loves still living there.

He also has a dream.

“I live for the day when talented young township hockey players are able to turn professional, so they can afford to play the sport they truly love.”