Cricket Coach | Community Inspiration | Voice of the Women
Born in Cape Town, Babalwa left at a very early age and went to the Eastern Cape. She grew up in the rural area of Mthatha. While in the lower primary school grades, she saw young boys playing cricket on the field after school. She was inquisitive about this sport that the boys were playing and it was not long before her curiosity became much more! She wanted to join in and be part of the club, but being only a young 11 year old girl, the boys were having none of it!
But Babalwa is not one who gives up easily and she persisited in her attempts to break through the sterotypes & join the club. In the end, she bravely approached the sports master, who finally allowed her to become the first - and only - girl in the all-boys club. “I was kept well on my toes and had to learn faster and quicker than the boys to prove to everyone that I could keep up!”
As time went on, Babalwa’s love for the game of cricket grew and elevated to the point that she began to recruit other girls to join the club and it was not long before she began to form a team of girls. “I believed that forming a girls team would be easy, but it was like heating a rock. There was not a single person who was keen to train the girls and support us. I had to transfer all the skills that I’d learned from the boys to my new female teammates.” With a lot of hard work and a whole lot of determination, the girls team was successfully formed and on their way!
In 2007, at the tender age of 13, Babalwa went to the provincial cricket trails. Unfortunately she did not make it, but her father encouraged her not give up and a year after, I gave the trial another shot. She made the u16 team and later the u19 team. Quickly after that she joined the Kie Cricket Board, where she played for 6 years.
After matriculating, Babalwa moved back to Cape Town to further her studies at Boland College. Finding it hard to balance her studies with her passion for the game, for a time she stopped playing to focus on her studies. But once complete, and thanks to The Amy Biehl Foundation she able to return to the game with the opportunity to further grow and develop her skills. Years later she joined the Khayelitsha Cricket Hub as a sessional coach and was soon appointed as an assistant coach, her responsibility being to train and develop girls.
In the last few years, her passion for cricket led her to the Gary Kirsten Foundation where she started as a volunteer coach and today works as a fully-fledged coach leading the The Gary Kirsten Foundation girl’s team. And what a proud moment when they played again the touring England side! Tim Human, General Manager of the Gary Kirsten Foundation, said, “She has been through a lot, but always has a smile and a positive attitude when it comes to her work. She is developing some talented girl cricketers in our programme and is a leader in women’s cricket in Khayelitsha. It is inspiring for all of us to see her go from strength to strength and drive positive change in her community, using cricket as the catalyst”.
“I would like to thank The Gary Kirsten Foundation which has helped me not only develop myself as a coach, but build myself and my confidence as a person.” - Babalwa Zothe
“I believe this sport can create so many opportunities for young girls from the township. Cricket keeps them healthy and engaged. My dream is to see more players from The Gary Kirsten Foundation play at provincial level. I believe this will happen!” - Babalwa Zothe
BABALWA speaks to Strongest Story on overcoming trauma; levelling the playing field for women & using her voice…
“The greatest challenge in my life came in 2013, when, as a young woman, I lost my child and was raped. Someone very close to me, and whom I trusted, betrayed my trust and left total devastation in my life and deep scars on my heart.
Both of these incidents left me totally broken. At the time I would lock myself in my room and I even stopped eating. I suffered severe headaches from the trauma, but these were nothing compared to the terrible ache in my heart. Healing was long and slow, but coming from a God-believing family, and having always been a woman of prayer, I turned to God. This was where I found hope. I knew that God could help me through this and heal and restore me.
Although it took me a long while to let go, forgive and become strong again, I was determined not to let this trauma destroy me. And it hasn’t. In fact, it has made me stronger and helped prepare me for so many other challenges that have come my way.
What helped me soldier on and move forward again was finding someone trustworthy to talk to and then to put my ultimate trust in God and prayer.
Silence can kill you - and it can also kill others. I urge every woman who has been a victim of rape and abuse not to remain silent. Let’s protect one another and speak up - that way we can save lives. The danger of remaining silent is that, the same person can repeat this violence again and again. I would encourage young women who have suffered from trauma to find the courage to talk. Talk to a friend, talk to a pastor, talk to a professional counsellor and talk to the police. Report crime. Women need to let their voices be heard.
Finally talk to God and know that in Him there is always hope and healing.”
“Women, let your voice be heard. Speak up and break the silence. Through speaking up we protect one another and we no longer remain the victim.” - Babalwa Zothe
A Personal Message from Strongest Story:
Last year we met Babalwe whilst we facilitated a team-building workshop with the Gary Kirsten Foundation coaches. We were both so immediately endeared towards her warm smile and gracious nature. It was brilliant to watch how Babalwe could so confidently hold her own amongst all the other male cricket coaches; and we could see that beneath her gentle exterior lay a spirit of resilience and fortitude that really impressed us. She adds so much value to the Gary Kirsten Foundation on so many levels and they are fortunate to have her in their coaching set up.
With a heart full of empathy, Babs, (as she is affectionately called by most) naturally reaches out to nurture those around her. Added to this, she has a determination to help grow and develop the potential in the people around her - most especially the women in her community. Her most commendable sense of responsibility and delightful positivity, enable her to persevere and remain optimistic despite so many challenges that often come her way.
She has an unwavering commitment to being authentic and true to her values; and this makes her a rock-solid ambassador for women.
Babs, Strongest Story is so excited to see where your incredible strengths and skills are going to take you. We know it’s going to be an exciting journey and you’ve most definitely got what it takes to grow and to live your strongest story.
We back you all the way!