2 December 2022
When a boy receives a bursary, it is either with the objective of providing an opportunity for him to maximise a talent that he has shown, or to provide him with an opportunity to excel in an environment that might not have otherwise been available to him. In the case of Lindo Gcwensa, happily, it has been a case of both of those criteria being met.
Lindo’s story, which led to his acceptance at Westville Boys’ High, began only four years ago, when he visited Westridge Park Tennis Stadium, near his home, to watch people playing tennis. Immediately, he was captivated. He wanted to give the sport a go. However, he came from a severely disadvantaged background where such opportunities were few and far between.
Coach Emmanuel Ngema, who heads up KZN Tennis Development, nonetheless, provided Lindo with an opportunity to try his hand at the game. When he showed potential, he was included in the elite development squad for under-12 players. That’s when the path to Westville opened up because the coach of the elite players was Charles Tsangamwe, once one of Africa’s top junior players, who heads up tennis at the school.
Something special
Immediately, he saw something special in Lindo. The youngster was enthusiastic, talented, and very hard working. As a movement specialist, Charles also saw something out of the ordinary in the manner in which Lindo moved.
Lindo, meanwhile, drew inspiration from the other players he saw, who had an opportunity to travel to play tennis around the country. He thought he would also like to travel. Furthermore, tennis took him out of a disadvantaged community, where violence is an everyday fact of life.
Recognising Lindo’s talent, coach Tsangamwe asked for his school reports. Seeing that he fared well academically, he suggested Lindo apply for a scholarship to Westville. His application was successful.
It was not an easy transition, however, which led coach Tsangamwe to question his decision at times. Academically, Lindo had previously learned maths in Zulu, at a lower level, while physics and computers were new to him.
Understanding
There was also the matter of Westville being a foreign environment, unlike anything he had experienced in his life before. Fortunately, coach Tsangamwe understood the challenges. Like Lindo, he had come out a township, thanks to his talent for tennis, but adjusting to a more privileged environment, where lifestyle standards were considerably higher, was a challenge that he recognised.
Recalling his own situation, he explained: “One day I was just playing tennis, and then the next day I’m in an environment where my shoes aren’t good enough. All of a sudden, the shirt I’m wearing, that my loved ones could afford, I suddenly hate.”
Communicating in English, primarily, also took some adjustment for Lindo, and it has taken time for him to improve his command of the language. Now good, it has elevated his self-confidence. Also, he noted: “I’ve seen things here that I hadn’t seen before. People here are nicer and kinder.”
While that is a very positive thing, it took time for Lindo to adjust from a harsher environment, where defending oneself sometimes requires a harsh response, something that he at times reflected. Now, he finds himself more at peace, his emotions in tune with his welcoming surroundings.
In the classroom, Lindo, at first, tried to shy away from interacting with the teachers; his lack of confidence in his English communication inhibited his interaction. The environment was unlike anything he had experienced previously, he said: “You get more work, experience more things, like learning to work on a computer. We get books and dictionaries. We never had that in my old school. There is nothing there. It’s like another world.”
Growth on the tennis court
On the tennis court, meanwhile, he continued to grow as part of a richly talented group of Westville players, able to challenge one another each and every day. It was only 15 months ago, though, that he played in a Tennis South Africa tournament for the first time. His results since then have been remarkable.
As a player without any rankings’ points, he was often subjected to very tough draws, but he has already risen to the 19th ranked under-16 player in South Africa, and his improvement and rapid rise continues unabated. With that improvement, he has also seen a number of potential career paths in tennis open up.
Like many, he dreams of playing professionally but, he admitted: “I think I am a better coach than a tennis player because the kids feel more connected to me,” referencing coaching that he does with development players at Westridge Tennis Stadium as part of his agreement with coach Tsangamwe to give back. There, he revealed, the children also speak to him about their problems, because he is able to relate to them.
Crucially, he wants to utilise tennis to improve his family’s lot in life. There are many firsts he still wishes to achieve. Some things that many may view as everyday occurrences have been life-changing for Lindo. He was the first person in his family to travel outside of KwaZulu-Natal, the first one to fly. Where the future once looked predictable and small, it has now opened up with possibilities and dreams.
Grateful
He is very grateful for the support of the Westville community, Lindo said: “They have helped me a lot because now I get things like new shoes, new clothes, new grips. If I need something, I can ask, and they help me get it.
“Where I come from, we never had much. If I got any new clothes, that might have been only once a year. There are a lot of us playing tennis, and Westville helps me a lot. Now, when I learn things in school, I go home and teach others there.”
His appreciation for coach Tsangamwe runs deep. “Coach Charles, he’s a mentor and he’s like my dad now,” Lindo said. “He’s always supportive. When I am wrong, he tells me why. He’s a coach, but he’s like part of my family. I will always be grateful for him. He always helps. If I need something, he will try and make a plan for me.”
It has been only four years since he took up a racquet for the first time, but Lindo is already a member of the powerful Westville 1st tennis team, which was ranked second nationally to only Paul Roos Gymnasium in 2022. In 2023, number one is very much on their minds.
“He has been epic”
“Sometimes they amaze me,” coach Tsangamwe said of his charges, “but Lindo’s jump, especially in the last 16 months is something that I didn’t even anticipate with my abilities. He has been epic, the way he has assimilated instruction and adapted. I haven’t seen a junior come up so quickly.”
Given a more empathetic environment, an understanding mentor and excellent competition – in other words, favourable opportunities – Lindo Gcwensa, through his own hard work and the support of the Westville Boys’ High community, is turning a life with limited possibilities into an exciting future. He is proving, too, the value of investing bursaries into deserving boys.
Leave a Reply