Amanda Sithole-Mhlongo was recently appointed as new Youth Fitness and Conditioning coach as well as the Assistant Coach of the U17 team at Amazulu FC.
Mhlongo, who hails from Umlazi in KwaZulu Natal was introduced to sport at a young age. The exposure to soccer and other recreational games influenced her athletics endeavours.
With her role, she hopes to teach and empower young players with the basics as well as all the intricacies of the sport.
She believes that as South Africa is hosting these world cup tournaments, there should be more coverage and remuneration. She’s also urging more teams to have women’s division so that a proper league can be established.
Chatting to gsport’s Tlamelo kganakga, Amanda Sithole-Mhlongo shares more on her journey.
Amanda, thank you for chatting to us. Please tell us about yourself and where you are from?
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. Amanda is a young lady from Umlazi, who was introduced to sports at a young age, she grew up and continued and grew her love affair with sports.
When and where did your love for sport begin and did you play?
From a tender age. Growing up eKasi exposed to soccer and other recreational games, I decided to pursue athletics as I matured.
You were recently appointed Youth Fitness and Conditioning Coach as well as the assistant coach of the U17 at Amazulu FC. Please tell us how you accumulated the experience that afforded you these deserved roles?
I grew up in a household that was and is filled with soccer fanatics, with mom as the leader in that department. Going to school to study sports-related studies made me aware that there is more to sports than the entertainment we see as fans and viewers, so my love for team sports developed deeper as I grew up and participated in various sports, including individual sport. The how’s and why’s of other sports, especially team sports, intrigued me. Soccer was much easier to grasp as I was exposed to it for as long as I can remember.
Getting into these roles. What are you hoping to achieve?
With my exposure in sports in different provinces, I realised what was lacking in our province that would aid in cultivating and nurturing the natural born talent we have, which is understanding the basic scientific base of the sport. I’m hoping to fill that gap by teaching and enforcing certain practices in order for them to fully and properly understand the sport. I say this because majority of the young players perceive training as getting on the field and playing soccer till it’s time to go home, so I would like to dismantle that mentality and create interlinked building blocks to make them realise that they can be pros now and not necessarily at +25. I mean Mbappe was in the World Cup at 18, which means it’s not too farfetched a dream.
What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did/do you overcome them?
It has to be the debunking of old habits and instilling new ones with patience. I believe we will have better players holistically by the end of the year.
What are some of your career highlights?
It has to be being appointed for this position. Quite major and will be handled as such.
Who are some of the sportswomen you admire and why?
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce because I mean, what a woman, what an athlete! If I could just touch the hem, as the word of the Lord says (kidding). But I looooove that woman, together with Bongi Msomi. Another PHENOMENAL woman and athlete who I had the opportunity and pleasure of working alongside as part of my coursework last year.
What’s your take on South Africa hosting 5 World Cup tournaments and what impact should it have for women in sport?
I believe we are finally operating in the right direction. If we can give them more coverage and PAY, a lot more can be achieved. Urging more teams to have a women’s divisions so that a proper league can be established, which would run successfully considering the calibre of female players that we have in this country.
What’s your greatest career ambition?
For my work to speak for itself so that it can align me with opportunities beyond my imagination.
What’s your advice to aspiring women in sports?
Love it. Know it. Understand it. And lastly, capitalise on it.
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