Khotso Mokoena launches back-to-school boot camp at his alma mater

Mokoena, a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) Athletes Commission, visited his alma mater, Khanya Lesedi High School in Ratanda, Heidelberg over the weekend, alongside his team from the YASDI – Development Skills Programme.

The 2008 Olympic long jump silver medallist is confident that through this initiative, learners will be able to make well-informed choices about which events to pursue.

"Yesterday we had a back-to-school sports clinic, boot camp for the kids at Khanya Lesedi since Khanya Lesedi in Heidelberg, Ratanda is now the school sports of specialisation,” Mokoena said.

“So, that means they then have athletes that are coming in and sports as a part of the curriculum at the school. It's now a full-blown sports school. So, what we did yesterday is we were preparing some of the young learners that are coming into the school, new ones especially, doing talent identification as to which event they fit in."

Mokoena provided the school’s coaches with valuable insights to help them implement strategies that would support athletes in achieving their goals throughout the season.

The 39-year-old emphasized the importance of the strong relationship between athletes and coaches as they collaborated during the boot camp.

"We had a number of tests that we were giving them and then from there their own coaches will then implement the system of ensuring that they train these athletes, adequately,” he added. 

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Mokoena explains that this initiative is designed to support school sports and encourage more learners and athletes to return to the field.

Having been discovered through school sports in Heidelberg, Mokoena understands the vital role sports play in schools.