Kolisi gives back to old school
Bok mobbed as he donates rugby kits
BURLY Springbok and Stormers’ star Siya Kolisi was mobbed by hundreds of excited schoolchildren when he returned to his former primary school in Zwide yesterday to hand out rugby kits.
Classrooms were deserted at Emsengeni Primary School when Kolisi, who honed his skills there as a junior in 2003, made his much anticipated appearance.
“This is where it all started for me,” Kolisi said as he pointed to the bumpy field where he used to enjoy break-time games with his schoolmates.
“We used to play touch rugby with our school shoes on. That was what I looked forward to every day.
“In my days when we played we used to swap our jerseys with the next team and they were always stinky and sweaty. That is what it is like in the townships.
“It was then that I decided that if I made it one day I would like to buy my school a set of jerseys.
“It makes a big difference for the children and gives them motivation and something to look forward to.
“So, I decided I was going to do it this year. Today, I handed over jerseys for under-11 and under-13 teams, and 52 tracksuits and pairs of shorts,” Kolisi said.
One of the proudest people at the handover was Emsengeni principal Eric Songwiqi, who coached Kolisi when he was a junior.
“I coached Siya when he was in under-12 and I could see he had very real promise right from the start. Siya was always disciplined, well mannered and a good listener.
“The pupils are all very excited to see Siya here today. It is wonderful that he is handing this kit over to us,” Songwiqi said.
Kolisi said he owed a lot to Songwiqi who had been one of his early mentors.
“Mr Eric has made a huge difference to my life. I was playing for African Bombers and he asked me to come to Emsengeni.
“It was here I was selected for the EP under-12 trials. It was then that I got a scholarship to Grey,” Kolisi said.
He made his senior debut for Western Province against the Golden Lions during the 2011 Vodacom Cup and later in the year made regular starts in the Currie Cup.
In 2012, he graduated to the Stormers squad and made an immediate impact with 16 appearances during the season .
Kolisi made his Springbok debut in 2013 against Scotland at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
‘ I could see he had very real promise right from the start. Siya was always disciplined