National qualified boxing coach and former USSA General Secretary, Onalenna Tsae has joined forces with former rugby player and newly provincial qualified boxing coach Goitseone Kgopisho to launch the SK Boxing Academy.
The aim of the academy is to develop and enhance boxing in the North West Province.
Both Tsae and Kgopisho believe women-owned sport-related companies or academies will bring balance to communities, especially when it involves a male-dominated sport.
Speaking with Tlamelo Kganakga, Tsae chats more about the academy and financial backing to keep the organization afloat.
Please tell us about the founders of the SK Boxing Academy.
The founders of the SK Boxing Academy are Onalenna Tsae, a national qualified coach and former University Sport South Africa Secretary General who won two USSA championship in 2018 and 2019. Born in Mahikeng and Goitseone Kgopisho, who is a former rugby player and boxer. She is a USSA 2017 silver medalist and two-time USSA champion in 2018 and 2019. She is now a provincial qualified coach and she was born in Uitkyk.
How did you come up with the idea of the academy and what is it about?
Since we are both Alumni’s of NWU and we both have passion for sport, we decided to collaborate instead of both of us having separate clubs that will compete against each other. We have been playing around with the idea since the beginning of the year and after going to the national championship in Eastern Cape, we decided that we are ready to formally form a club and introduce it to the North West Open Boxing fraternity which provided us with a recognition letter and the club was officially launched at a tournament that took place on the 24th of September 2022 in Jouberton.
SK Boxing Academy already has provincial and national qualified R/J, managers, provincial and national qualified coaches and experienced boxers and those that are starting their boxing journey.
What are you hoping to achieve with the academy and who can be part of it?
Both females and males can be part of the academy. It is not even limited to age. Both experienced and unexperienced members of the community can join the club. We are not only focused on having boxers but a great team that will also assist with the operation of the academy. For instance, one might not want to fight but they are skilled when it comes to social media and marketing, that person will come in handy for the academy.
We aim to develop and enhance boxing in the North West province, eradicate gangsterism and drug abuse within our community, women empowerment through coaching, R/J and boxers training through boxing.
This will be achieved through having coaching and R/J exchange program with other provinces, tournament exchange programs within the province and outside the boarders of NW, conduct mental health seminars to equip those involved and conducting grading for boxers through hosting tournaments.
Why is it important for women to have sport-owned companies?
Sport has the ability to change lives and to drive for gender equality as men already own sport-based companies. This will bring balance to the community more especially with masculine sport. And one of the biggest reasons why women should own a sport company is that it will defy the gender stereotype and social norms that women are equally capable of running sport companies just like men.
Since it’s an NPO, how are you hoping to get financial backing?
The SK Boxing Academy is self funded by the founders and also it is working on having good relations with the local service point in Mahikeng, which is part of the Department of Art Culture Sport and Recreation. We are anticipating to apply for lotto funding.
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