Let's Hear It For The Girls! PART 2

A short while ago we ran an introduction to the story of The Mighty Warriors, Chintsa East's one and only ladies’ rugby team.  Well, we’ve finally managed to pin down the captain, Tina Pakamile, for an interview!  What an inspiring tale from an amazing young woman; here’s the interview between myself and Tina, held this Tuesday 24th September:

Tina at a 2011 soccer match held in Chintsa East

Kate:     We are interviewing you about your sport and your team because we find it very inspiring that there are girls in our village who are not only committing themselves to a sport and a team practice, but that they have chosen a sport such as rugby.  Rugby has been a man’s sport until now, and it is only slowly starting to find interest among women.  South Africa does have a National Women’s Team, but it is still a largely male-dominated sport.  And not surprisingly: it is very physically demanding!  So when we heard Chintsa has a girls’ team we were very excited, because women’s rugby is still a very a rare thing.  So thank you for meeting with us to tell us some of your story!   

When did your rugby team start?

Tina:      In April this year.

K:            And who started it?

T:            We did! My sisters and me, and some of our friends.  Five of us went up to Apila (the coach of the team) and asked him to train us.

K:            Why Apila?

T:            Because we knew that he is a rugby player.

K:            And where does he play rugby?

T:            He plays here in Chintsa, for one of the teams here in Chintsa, ‘The Monsters’.  They practice on the sports fields here, and they are pretty good, for a team from Chintsa.  They compete against teams from Komga, Soto, Nxingxolo, King William’s Town and Mooiplaas (villages along our coast).  It’s not just the soccer that is being played here, but other sports too.  Rugby is another big one.  But we have two coaches - Apila, and Zing.

The rugby field here in Chintsa East

K:            We spoke to Apila a few weeks ago.  He told us that he wanted to coach girls because boys were difficult for him to work with and they don’t listen...

T:            We also sometimes don’t listen!

K:            So, you really like rugby as a sport – do you like watching it?

T:            Yes!  I don’t really have a favourite Provincial team, but I like watching The All Blacks (New Zealand national side).

K:            The other girls on your team, how many of them are fit to play right now?

T:            All of us.  We are a fully functional team, and we play the same as any professional team.

K:            And how do you find your coaches – are they good at what they do?

T:            Yes, I think so.  They know what they are doing.  But sometimes they are a little bit stubborn!

K:            Stubborn?

T:            Sometimes they don’t want to listen to us.  But we are still new, we need some time.

K:            We are so impressed that the girls are playing rugby.  What other sports are the girls in Chitnsa East interested in?

T:            Netball, soccer.  I am talking about myself now!  I was interested in soccer, but, I don’t know.  There was already too much soccer.  So then I wanted to try rugby.

K:            So what was your idea?

T:            To get together and form a team.  I’m a very sporty person!

K:            Do you like dancing as well?

T:            Ja, but I can’t dance!  Sports is my form of expression, to say this is me, I am myself, in this world.

K:            What other sports do you do?

T:            I used to play netball, but here (the netball courts of Chintsa East) it is so competitive with the girls.  There is too much drama.  And, I used to do the Eco Challenge.

K:            Yes!  We interviewed your mom (see the interview with Nokuphumla Pakamile here) and she told us all about you, about all of her children.  But she only told us the basics of your sporty endeavours.  So tell us about the Eco Challenge? 

T:            The Eco Challenge is an adventure race.  It is cycling, abseiling, canoeing and running, all in one race.

K:            You’re making me tired just talking to you!  Ok, so you’re finished school now, and you’re studying?

T:            Ja, I’m studying at CTI. I’m doing I.T.  and it’s going well.  When I’m finished I want to go and study sports management.  And I’m also interested in music – I love singing!  I think I would like to go to NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, in Port Elizabeth).

K:            So you can sing but you can’t dance?

T:            Ja, I know!

K:            Maybe that’s your next challenge: start a Choir in Chintsa!

T:            I like that!  But ja, I’m not sure.  Maybe I will coach one day.  But I want to study a Sports Science.

K:            Ok, and your team – you girls practise everyday?

T:            Yes, every evening from 5pm, Monday to Friday.

K:            And what’s your training like – do you have a lot of equipment to train with?

T:            We don’t have everything we need, but I believe our coaches are trying to get all that for us.

Tina at practice

K:            And your team, what is the age-group of the girls on your team?

T:            The youngest is my sister Neziswa, she is 14.  And the oldest – we have some girls who are 21, and they are studying too.  And that day we went around the village asking people for donations, that day we met you, that was just us on our own.  Our coach didn’t know we were doing that for ourselves, but we told him later!  But he’s sometimes so stubborn, so we sometimes do things like that without telling him.

K:            And that day when you asked for donations, what was the reaction of people in the suburb?

T:            Yes, alot of them were really surprised that there is a team!  We raised about R400.

K:            So what kind of support do you need, for example we’d like to help by writing this story and spread awareness about your sport.  Also, Shaun (our Social Media & Community Correspondent) has made a team poster and taken a team photo for you.  Do you have a team uniform?

T:            We don’t have our own uniform!  We borrow the black one we are using from one of the guy’s teams: shorts, jerseys and socks.  We have to purchase our own boots.

The team emblem and poster design that Lil' Shaun (Odwa Shaun Mtshini) did for The Mighty Warriors

K:            Have you ever been injured?

T:            Yes!  I had a head injury.  I got a concussion.  I don’t really remember it though!  I just remember waking up in hospital, so I’m not sure.

K:            Are you not worried about rugby injuries?

T:            No, not really.

K:            Are you not worried that rugby is one of the most dangerous sports in the world?

T:            I’m used to it!

K:            What’s the competition like – how would you rate the other women’s teams in the area that you play against?

T:            I think Komga is the only team that really matches us on our level.  Kwelera is also quite good.  Sometimes we travel to go play there, and sometimes they come to play on our field.

The Mighty Warriors, in black, in a friendly post-match huddle with the Komga team, in blue and orange

K:            When is your next match here?

T:            I think on the 5^th of October.

K:            Does everyone know about it?

T:            No!  We are still planning it.  That’s the support, the help, we really need, if people can come and watch us.

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And there you have it!  The Mighty Warriors Women's Rugby Team would like your support at their games!  We will keep you updated, but it looks like the date is set for Saturday 5 October - SEE YOU THERE!

- All photographs by Odwa Shaun Mtshini