Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • In the words of Nelson Mandela, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity”
  • Flooding at the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works
  • Avbob 2023 Poetry Competition Second Place: Jeannie Wallace McKeown
  • Avbob 2023 Poetry Competition Winner: Sithembele Isaac Xhegwana
  • Residents of Extensions Nine, 10, Transit Camp, Phumlani and Enkanini voice discontent!
  • Makhanda Creatives Speak Out
  • Running towards a drug and alcohol-free Makhanda
  • What’s On 23 – 30 March
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Rhodes coach has his heart in the game
Uncategorized

Rhodes coach has his heart in the game

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailFebruary 28, 2011No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Rhodes women's soccer coach and Eleven Attackers midfielder Siyabonga "Zizou" Dumiso talks to Rudzani Floyd Musekwa about being a player, being a coach… and being inspired.

Rhodes women's soccer coach and Eleven Attackers midfielder Siyabonga "Zizou" Dumiso talks to Rudzani Floyd Musekwa about being a player, being a coach… and being inspired.

Who is Siyabonga Dumiso? I ask the 26-year-old midfield maestro at the Rhodes University King Field, as he puts his charges through their paces. “Eish, bra Floyd, how do I start this?" he responds, as he tells the players to take a 10-minute breather.

Born in Aliwal North in 1984, Dumiso attended Dordrecht Primary School before moving to Grahamstown in 1998, where he matriculated at Nombulelo in 2002. Dumiso proceeded to Walter Sisulu University, where he studied towards a national higher certificate in accounting, graduating in 2007.

"I can say I was actually born playing football,” he says, laughing. The players, now under the care of his assistant, Thandy Mize, are back on the field. “In 2008, when I came back to Grahamstown, I worked closely with Thandy (Mize), who was then the head coach. In 2009 I applied for the head coach position and got the job, and have never looked back,” he says.

Dumiso enjoys his job, but says it's a bit frustrating. "It’s a bit like working with a national team because you work with different players every year. When you've got them to a level, you have to start all over again, because the students come and go,” he says.

His biggest problem, though, is that most of the players are playing soccer for the first time. “It’s not easy starting a culture of playing competitive soccer with people who normally play just for the fun of it," Dumiso says. "These are people who basically played the game without the rules and now I have to try and engage them in that direction.”

“Most of them are passionate about the game and are very willing to learn, which is very positive.”

As we talk and laugh, Mandla Gagayi, who is prominent in Grahamstown sport in general, and soccer in particular, arrives. Dumiso points to "Bra Mindlos", saying, "these are people who have played a significant role in my life, and whenever I am doubtful about something I consult uMandla."

On the day he scored a hat-trick he had just received an encouraging sms from Gagayi. An ardent Kaizer Chiefs supporter and a Doctor Khumalo fan, Dumiso is an integral part of his team, the Eleven Attackers, which participates in the Cacadu-based Castle League.

Because of his age and persistent injuries, he says, the chances of his playing at a higher level are limited. He wishes only to help the side get promotion to the provincially based Vodacom league (a step higher than the Castle league).

“I may not be there physically in the Vodacom league, but my wish is for the boys to get there, and if I can see that I would have achieved something,” he says.

Dumiso may not be there when his current team, (Attackers) get the promotion to the elite Vodacom league, but his contribution to football in these parts will be there, even after his ankle injury finally relegates him to the bench.

Previous ArticleWe’ll start building houses in June – Baart
Next Article Craftsmen bring colour, skills to city
Grocott's Mail

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.