Managing and coaching young athletes must be one of the most difficult yet satisfying responsibilities one may hold. Teenagers are complex individuals, as they require a lot of attention and support.
Following a successful exhibition game on December 29 at Huddle Park Golf & Recreation in Linksfield, Johannesburg, Raymond Chauke, manager of 16-year-old golf superstar Tokollo Dhlamini, expressed the challenges he has encountered since assuming the role of managing the teenager.
“The challenges of managing a 16-year-old girl are that you are dealing with someone who is in adolescent stage, someone who is exposed to peer pressure, someone who is a famous golf player. Above it all, you are dealing with a girl child,” Chauke said.
“These are the characteristics that are aligned on how to deal with fame, peer pressure and the loss of her young sister two weeks before the game in Kenya – so it is tough, to a point that you must be a manager, a father and a friend at the same time. All of that requires one to switch to different characters until everything is aligned.
“Another toughness when dealing with a young girl is that she has dreams, ambitions and plans, so it is important to support her, irrespective of how challenging the situation may be.”
Chauke, 41, said the support he gives to the teenager may not be enough, as there are no sponsors to assist with funds, which puts the young athlete at a disadvantage.
“Through the support, one needs to keep in mind that supporting golf is expensive and there are currently no sponsors on board. Imagine being a black young girl and staying in a backroom in the township, already that puts her at a disadvantage,” he said.
“So, what motivates and keeps me going is the potential and commitment I see in her, so I will keep on supporting her, with or without the sponsors.”
However, Chauke is grateful for the contributions received from their previous outing at the NCBA golf tournament in Kenya, where Dhlamini secured third place.
“We just got back from Kenya a few weeks ago and someone decided to sponsor us, of which we are very grateful for. Another person came through and paid for flight tickets. As a manager, it got me excited to see that there are people trying to reach out, because they see the potential.”
Despite a lack of sponsorship, Chauke is determined to continue supporting the grade 11 pupil from Thembisa Commerce & Entrepreneurship School of Specialisation.
“One thing for sure, I would not allow a lack of sponsorship to stop our goals. For example, I contribute from my own pocket by making sure that she attends all the games. It is tough, but I wouldn’t let a great potential go to waste because of lack of sponsors and funds,” he added.
Dhlamini will take to the golf course during the 2023 Big 5 South African Open at Magalies Park County Club. The three-day event will take place on April 3-5 and will be followed by the NCBA Uganda Open also in April.
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