Estimated reading time: 3-4 minutes.
Meet the coaches
In ‘Meet the coaches’ we present the true heroes of Hockey Dreams. The coaches combine education and coaching to strengthen both themselves and their communities. These ambitious and driven youngsters are ready to make their mark on the world. One of our Hockey Dreams Coaches is Ulemu. The following story is about Ulemu shaping his future.
Hi!
My name is Ulemu Ngwira. I live in Blantyre, the commercial city of Malawi, and I was born on the 22th of June, 1992. In my family I am the last born.
I joined Hockey Dreams Foundation in 2014 when it was only just founded. Now, in today’s world, I am Head Coach for Hockey Dreams in Malawi. Hockey Dreams is an organisation that has taught me a lot. I grew a passion to help others and develop the kids and myself through sport. Hockey Dreams Foundation made a platform for me and my fellow Coaches to grow on many levels.
Games and sports
Being in the field of sports has always been at my heart. I have always wanted to be a sports person as far as I can remember. Growing up in a family of eight and being the last born I was introduced to several games by my siblings. From hide and seek, football, mirror, to skipping ropes and many more. As the last born my siblings let me win most of the time and this motivated me to participate in many more games.
From a tender age I was on a football team from my hood in which most team members were older than me. I performed well as I got inspiration from my family members and my siblings would come and cheer me up.
My aspirations
I have a lot of aspirations in life. God willing, I will open up a sportscentre where I will be helping athletes of all kinds of sports disciplines to help them attain their goals. I want my sportscentre to be recognised as one of the High Performance Centres in Africa (Sports Performance Centres). Sport centres designed to bring the best out of its athletes.
The centre will incorporate athlete’s nutrition, physical health, mental well-being, career guidance and mentorship. I want my sportscentre to be helping the underprivileged, those who cannot see a future for themselves. I want them to grow believing that there is a future though sports. This certain inspiration I got from Gijs Hardeman, founder of Hockey Dreams Foundation.
In the next few years I see myself achieving this goal and becoming the CEO of this big sports center. I see myself being on the pitch training future athletes and giving them hope for a better life through sport.
“I would like to open a sports centre where I want to be helping the underprivileged, those who cannot see a future for themselves. I want them to grow believing that there is a future though sports.”
My personal goals
One of the great moments I enjoy is being on the pitch with the kids. Kids teach you lots of things when you spend time with them. They have taught me patience, perseverance and the spirit of not giving up. Kids always want to try out something new and they are not shy or afraid of someone while doing so. The kids have helped me become a better coach.
“Kids teach you lots of things when you spend time with them. They have taught me patience, perseverance and the spirit of not giving up.”
My dream trip to the Netherlands was my turning point, it opened my eyes to another great dimension of coaching. Coaching is not just being on the pitch with your players, but you are also vital in shaping up the lives of those you coach. You become a role model.
In my tenure as head coach for Hockey Dreams I want to help my fellow Coaches to be better Coaches. At the end I want them to feel proud that they were Hockey Dreams Coaches and role models. I also want to see the kids I have trained to play at an international level. Hopefully when the COVID-19 pandemic is over and sports restrictions are removed we can arrange friendly games with our neighbour Zambia.
“Coaching is not just being on the pitch with your players, but you are also vital in shaping up the lives of those you coach. You become a role model.”
My personal goals
My idol in life is Dr Myles Munroe. Although he passed away, he lived a life to inspire others. He lived a life to its full potential. I want to live such a life, that when I pass away, others still remember my name.
As he always said, ‘’The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but life without a purpose.’’ I do not want to live a life without a purpose, I want to achieve my purpose in life.
