Mmathapelo Phale Aims to Win a Momentum gsport Award

Swimming South Africa’s Marketing coordinator Mmathapelo Phale has ambitions of being recognised on the Momentum gsport Awards stage one day.

Hailing from Mamelodi in Pretoria, Phale is also a BA Communication Science student and says balancing her career and education leads to many sleepless nights. However, she has managed to keep her feet on the ground as she makes waves in the sport industry.

Along her journey, Phale has worked with women in sport that she has drawn inspiration from. She mentions Mme Maggie Sekoto of Forever Marketing who she says is a great mentor to her.

Speaking with Tlamelo Kganakga, Phale chats more about sponsorship and what power of recognition means to her.

Mmathapelo, thank you for chatting to us. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

There is so much to Mmathapelo that I battle to put in a few words. Family is my anchor, time outdoors is where I find peace and I am also a sucker for Netflix & Chill. I am a 38-year-old student and marketing coordinator at Swimming South Africa from Mamelodi.

When and where did your love for sport begin and did you play?

It feels like it has been a lifetime of love for sport, I cannot tell you where and when I fell in love but, what I can tell you is that I grew up participating in a lot of sporting activities (at school and in the streets at home). For instance, I participated in athletics at school, and I would come back home and play cricket in the street with the guys in my neighbourhood.

Please tell us about being a Marketing Coordinator and what your job entails?

They say if you do something you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life. Being a Marketing Coordinator is a lot like that for me. It entails putting in motion the marketing strategies and plans set out by the marketing manager. Be it communication plans, marketing plans, social media, and media liaison, my job is to make sure that everything runs seamlessly. Of course, I do add my input, which makes it easier when executing the plans because it should make sense to me as well, LOL. The work is not without challenges, but I suppose it keeps me on my toes and that is good.

What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?

I think one challenge that still stands out for me, which I had to overcome, was being compared to my predecessor at work. My work was constantly juxtaposed with that of my predecessor. It was a difficult situation to be in because it meant that I was not trusted to deliver and that my methods were being questioned constantly.  Overcoming this meant that I had to continue to “run my race,” do my best and let my work speak for me.

Besides being a Marketing Coordinator, what else are you doing and how do you manage your time?

I am pursuing a BA Communication Science degree through UNISA, and it can become challenging to manage the books and work. Lots of sleepless nights.

What has been some of your career highlights?

Learning from and working side by side with Mme Maggie Sekoto of Forever Marketing (PR & Marketing agency), she is magic and a great mentor.

Who and what inspires you and why?

Working with people like Stella Sebalo (Motsweding FM) and Lebo Motsoeli, witnessing their level of professionalism, dedication, and drive inspires me to dig deeper into myself. It shows me that there is a lot more I can give and that I can be great! I only mention those two women, but more women like them continue to inspire me daily.

Looking back at the last five years, what do you think of the coverage of women’s sport both online and in print when looking at being a Marketing Coordinator for sport federation?

We are making strides on that front. Platforms such as gsport have worked hard to close the gap. Women in sport are making their mark and ensuring that they are heard. I love using this example: 2016 Olympics, swimming had no women representing the country (no females qualified). Fast forward to the 2020 Olympic Games, Tatjana Schoenmaker brings back the only gold medal for SA. My point is, that it is up to us to make sure we are included, to fill the spaces and close the gaps. We cannot leave it to anyone.

What progress do women still need to make in closing the visibility gap in marketing women’s sport?

I think if we, women, focus on telling our own stories, claim our victories, and even account for our failures then we will continue to make progress. We shouldn’t be dragged into a position where our victories, stories, and failures are being hijacked and we are constantly made to feel that we need to be affirmed (especially by our male counterparts) for them to be valid. Take the Banyana Banyana victory, which was overshadowed by Bafana’s shortfalls, for example.

What’s your advice to women who aspire to get into the industry and how they should be in it for the right reasons?

Like any other industry, this one does come with its own ups and downs. Persevere the challenges and find a balance between hard work and downtime. Always be open to learning.

What do you think of the Power of Recognition?

The power of recognition is beyond important, it is the source of inspiration, it’s the fuel that keeps one going, and it is the enabling of succession planning/sharing skills. When one is recognised, it puts the power in one’s hands to share your success, to capacitate others to succeed in their journey.

What’s your greatest career ambition?

To win a Momentum gsport Award 😊.