Sport
27
Love Sport Africa; United through Sport; Grey High School; Eastern Province Rugby
Website
Athi Mayinje, 27, is a professional rugby player, a dedicated coach and founder of Love Sport Africa (NPC). “I would like every child in the corner of this great country to have access to and participation in a uniformed and consistent sporting programme both at school and in their community,” he says.
Athi shares his love for the game by mentoring young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds. When he’s not playing for the Eastern Province Kings, he coaches rugby through his organisation, Rugby 4 Women Empowerment, for various ages and across Gqeberha. Athi believes in nurturing young talent and using rugby as a vehicle to holistically develop and empower girls and boys.
The programme focuses on three components — quality uniformed coaching, literacy and career guidance, and psycho-social support — and is aimed at adolescents, teenagers and young adults. The programme produced a number of U16 and U18 EP provincial woman rugby players within its first six months.
A go-getter of note, Athi scored a 75% matric bachelor pass rate, is a world rugby level one coach, and assists in seeking employment opportunities and skills development for some of the organisation’s beneficiaries. He believes sport as a vehicle to bring about social change.
Student at Nelson Mandela University
- Shortlisted as News 24 30 Young Mandelas of the Future.
- Multiple championships with Eastern Province rugby
The death of my younger brother, I was nine. When I was called and told about the news, emotions were ones I hadn’t dealt with before and I remember the only thing that made sense was to just go outside and play sport. Sport has always been that for me. An outlet, a friend, and I want to give others that opportunity and access to everything that it brings.
If it’s who you are, be it now. Don’t wait for the right moment, circumstances, and success. If it’s in your heart live it out in the present. God will make provision.
I would like every child in the corner of this great country to have access to and participation in a uniformed and consistent sporting programme both at school and in the community. Especially at the fundamental development ages.