The Graduate School of Business and Leadership is supporting young girls to develop the leadership and life skills required to maximise their sporting prowess.
The GSB&L has teamed up with KwaZulu-Natal’s Hollywoodbets Dolphins to develop the cricketing franchise’s young female stars beyond the boundary rope.
Head of Executive Education at the School, Mr Shalen Mohanlall said a series of events has been scheduled at the Kingsmead cricket ground in central Durban where experts – who are also UKZN alumni – will spend time with the youngsters discussing relevant topics aimed at building emotional intelligence and resilience.
The first event, hosted in mid-August 2024, was attended by scores of young female cricketers aged 13 to 19 who all have hopes of representing their province and ultimately South Africa playing the sport they love.
Mental toughness
First to the podium was former Springbok swimmer and sports psychologist, Dr Kirsten van Heerden who urged the girls to ‘keep their love going for the sport (cricket)’ and to ‘fall in love’ with the process of training. ‘I love pushing myself,’ she said.
Van Heerden said optimism is at the core of mental toughness. ‘I am not talking about positive thinking where you pretend that everything is okay when it’s not.’
Using the great Olympian swimmer, Michael Phelps as an example, she said it is important to remember that success is achieved over time rather than overnight. ‘For eight years Phelps never missed a day of swimming. He was either racing or training.’
She urged the youngsters to keep communication lines open. ‘Keep talking to those who love and respect you and keep working hard.’
U16 opening batter, Shreeya Subbiah and U13 all-rounder, Zoë Manickum, said van Heerden gave them food for thought on how to manage anxiety – particularly ahead of a big game. ‘I am going to make an effort not to worry about the things that I can’t control, but rather focus on those things that I can,’ Manickum said.
The two agreed their ultimate goal is to play for the Dolphins franchise and then the country’s national side, the Proteas.
Gender activist, Dr Aradhana Ramnund-Mansingh urged the young women to look out for one another both on and off the field. ‘Sisterhood is all about celebrating and supporting each other because there are still many hurdles and barriers facing the advancement of women.’
She added that it is important to have clear personal values and explained how leadership has changed from days gone by. ‘Today’s leaders are required to be more empathetic and inclusive – more people-centred,’ she said.
Sharks rugby franchise nutritionist, Ms Danielle Oldfield explained how eating correctly can make a real difference to performance. ‘Good nutrition is about timing and knowing what you should eat both on and off the field. Learn the fundamentals of good nutrition and how to apply them,’ she said.
She advised the young cricketers to formulate a food plan and to add colour to their meals. ‘Too often we eat meals that only include brown foodstuffs such as bread, cereals and grains. It is important to add a rainbow that allows for vegetables and fruits on the plate,’ she said.
Food for thought
Under 13A all-rounder, Nobe Zwane said she had learned ‘a lot’ from the event and that Oldfield’s advice had given her food for thought. ‘I am thinking now about how to prepare myself for a game, what food I should include in my diet so that I can play better,’ she said.
Similarly, U19A batter, Jenna Alexander said she was more aware of the importance of a good diet in her overall success.
Head coach of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins U16 team, Ms Dheyanka Naidoo said the franchise is taking a more holistic approach to the development of its young charges. ‘Working with the University’s Graduate School of Business & Leadership is fantastic because they bring a wealth of expertise to the programme. We will be hosting more events such as this in the months ahead to help our girls to succeed both on and off the field,’ she said.
