Times Of Swaziland: ATHLETES SHOULD HEED KING’S CALL

ATHLETES SHOULD HEED KING’S CALL
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Straight Talk with Ashmond Nzima on 13/02/2024 15:56:00


It feels good to be back after a two-week hiatus.
During the opening of the First Session of the 12th Parliament of the Kingdom Of
Eswatini, this past Friday, His Majesty King Mswati III made it clear that
creating opportunities for young people was a top priority. In sport, young
people are the athletes. “Our youth stand as the architects of our nation’s
future and are at the core of our vision to make Eswatini a world class
country,” said the King. The continuing rise in the cost of living is
adversely affecting people’s physical and mental well-being, with people like
the youth who have additional care and support needs and those on lower incomes
hit the hardest.
While government has a role to ensure that young people are empowered, it has to
start with the latter. In the case of sport, it has to start with athletes.
There are a lot of untapped opportunities for young people in sport. The uptake
of sporting codes that pay lucrative prizes is still low among Eswatini youth.
Few industries are more lucrative than sport. From a humble pastime to a
legitimate means to keeping active, sport has evolved into an absolute behemoth
of an industry. Golf, for instance, is taken as a pastime by the Eswatini youth.
You do not need to do research that more than 50 per cent of the country’s
golfers are over 35 years old. The golf world has always been involved with
serious money.
The fact that the country has one professional lady golfer in Nobuhle Dlamini
leaves the youth with serious introspection. It is no secret that
professionalism in golf cannot be achieved overnight, as the golfers should go
through qualifying school, but there should be an effort. Golfers who are
passionate and determined to reach for the stars should be pushed to attain
professional status. The ever-green Nosmilo Kgomo, for instance, should be
pushed to realise her dream of becoming professional within the next five years.
Angling or fishing is another sport that is ignored by the youth at a time when
it has a potential to pay lucrative prizes. It boasts substantial winning prizes
despite its fluctuating popularity. In one local tournament, individual prizes
rose up to E100 000. Expensive equipment like boats should never be an excuse
for failure to participate in the sport, as they can always form teams on top of
bringing on board partners or sponsors. It is pleasing to note that some
athletes are smart enough to realise that you can make more money by being
involved in multiple sporting codes but the numbers are still disappointingly
low. Some athletes do both volleyball and netball. This guarantees them extra
income if their teams shine in both sporting codes.
races
There are footballers who are amazingly fast but have never joined any of the
country’s athletics races. In a race, you can earn up to E2 000 in just two
hours. In the Speech from the Throne, the King highlighted the daunting spectre
of unemployment which engulfs more than half of the country’s young people ,
presenting a formidable challenge that requires immediate attention. “It is
imperative that we steadfastly continue to forge pathways and opportunities for
our young people,” stressed the King. While waiting for formal employment or
still pushing for their business ventures to take off, young people can take
part in less expensive sporting codes like athletics where there are races
almost every month. Shining in these races every month can guarantee the runners
at least E2 000 every month. This can lessen their financial burden.
It has been stated countless times that the benefits of participating in sports
are endless. Researchers found that one in four people can no longer afford
social activities that help them stay mentally well. This includes exercise and
fitness classes. This is particularly worrying given the positive impact sports
and fitness has on mental health and well-being. Not only are the physical
benefits of taking part in a sport or activity lost, so too are the social
aspects of spending time with others in a club or group. Inactivity could also
increase existing feelings of stress and anxiety and may lead to increased
health risks for those with existing health issues. So the message to athletes
is loud and clear – they should stand up and be counted in a bid to reduce
unemployment among young people.