An invitation to a group of Dobsonville, Soweto, teenagers to join a neighbouring suburb’s boat race club came as a great opportunity. Unfortunately, some members of the group saw the opportunity in a hazy light.
Members of one group saw it as a chance to make their name in a sporting code they previously knew nothing about. Others took it as an opportunity to smoke dagga in the lush and serene environment of the lake.
Members of the Dobsonville Aquatic Club, who joined the Florida Boat Race Club for the right reasons, are now on a high and about to go places; the dopers have been kicked out.
For eight of the original 18-person group, a year of determination and hard work has finally paid off. Sandile Genge, Tsepo Tlhong, Ayanda Zamisa, Nhlanhla Sindane, Mpho Lamola, Malebo Sammy, Mogoe Mogomotsi and Nompumelelo Mateke have been selected to represent South Africa in Taiwan next month.
They will take part in the Taipei International Regatta, the Kinmen Island Dragon Boat Regatta and the Taiwan Kaoshuing Regatta from June 6 to 8.
The Mail & Guardian caught up with the club’s members, some of whom were hard at work preparing for the competition in Taiwan. Some looked tired and lethargic, infuriating their trainer and chairperson of the Dobsonville Aquatic Club, Cornelius Klaas.
”You are not paddling for me but for yourselves. This is about you; people will remember your name and not mine because you will be in that boat. If you don’t want to be part of the trip please let me know now,” Klaas shouted.
Lamola (14), the youngest of the team, looked more eager than the rest and was raring to go. He began dragon boat racing in June last year and is one of the few selected to represent his country.
”I am very excited about this whole thing. I love what I am doing and want to achieve more things in this sport — and I believe I will, since I am still very young. When Cornelius invited my school [Boikanyo Primary School], I saw this as an opportunity for me to take the right direction in life, unlike our fellow teammates who used to just come here and smoke dagga under the trees. But I think we should give them another chance to see if they can change,” Lamola said.
When the club members climbed into their boats they suddenly transformed. They were focused, paddling backwards and forwards simultaneously as if already competing in Taiwan. Their demeanor before hitting the water was deceptive, perhaps to lull their opponents into complacency.
Mateke, a 17-year-old who joined the club in February, said: ”When we are in the water there’s only one thing that we think of and that is to catch the flag. My teammates like playing around and if you don’t know us you might underestimate us. We are good at what we do and we are confident that we will bring back medals.”
The Dobsonville Aquatic Club, with members aged between 14 and 18, was established in 2004 as a swimming club and introduced dragon boat racing last year. The club members weren’t organised as a team when they first went to Florida.
A dragon boat is a 21-seater, normally with 18 paddlers, a drum beater, flag catcher and steerer — but only eight have been chosen for the South African team.
Today the club has teams of 20 from each of the 20 schools in Dobsonville — a total of 400 members. The popularity of the sport increased when the team started taking part in competitions across the country.
As with many other sporting codes in the townships, the Dobsonville club has financial problems. Some of the members live with their grandparents while others head households.
During competitions team members pay their own transport and registration fees. The club doesn’t have boats, paddles or kit and always depends on the Florida club.
For the Taiwan trip each youth has to raise R6 000. ”How do you approach a pensioner who earns less than R1 000?” asked Klaas.
One of their members had to pull out of the trip because he is an orphan. ”We are afraid we might lose more talented children because of the financial problems. We have approached a lot of people for help but doors have been shut on us. But we are not giving up on our dream.”