Empowering Change Through Sport: Meet Coach Aphelele

Coach Aphelele

Pronouns: He/Him

Hometown: Phillipi

Favorite Sport: Soccer

Can you tell us about your background and what led you to become a coach at the School of Hard Knocks?

As a person who grew up in a township, the only way to escape gangsterism is through sport, so I fell in love with soccer. I played soccer throughout my childhood, but even there, it was not easy because we saw everything that was happening in our community, but I stayed focused on my studies. The reason I became a coach was because I wanted to be there for younger people than me to mentor them and change their lives. I experienced many things and made terrible decisions, but now I want them to tackle all the struggles and things they could face in life, give them tools to cope, and be able to play sports with a healthy mentality.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a coach, and how have you overcome them?

I had a lack of confidence, and I couldn’t ask when I didn't understand, which affected my work. I did self-reflection and asked myself what I wanted to achieve. I started to challenge myself and constantly push myself to make sure I understood everything. I learned from my peers to gain my confidence back and be there for them when they needed me.

Can you share a success story or a memorable moment from your time coaching at the School of Hard Knocks?

I've had extraordinary moments as a coach and have grown up to be the person I am now. The confidence I gained there is lovely because of their excellent workplace, where we have to be able to express ourselves and learn from other people. My memorable moments as a coach were making relationships in all the schools we worked with and how participants acknowledged us and our impact on them.

What advice do you give your students about maintaining their mental health and well-being?

Mental health and well-being are very important, and if you are able to understand yourself, you can reach beyond your limits just by practicing a healthy lifestyle. I know some ways of dealing with mental health and positive well-being may be very difficult, but being open to learning new things allows change in life to be where you want to be and your strong