JOHANNESBURG – In being named Coach of the Year by Cricket SA last weekend, the magnitude of the achievement did not hit home for Wandile Gwavu until Monday and then Tuesday.
“In the last few days though I’ve received a lot of messages from people congratulating me and it hit me that this is really big, and it made me realise that this actually means quite a lot to the people that have been a part of my coaching career. It woke me up that what I’m doing has actually touched quite a lot of lives,” said the Gauteng Lions’ head coach.
That rang especially true for young black coaches. “I received a lot of messages from young, aspiring coaches, some I’ve never met, who told me I was an example, I was leading the way and making it possible and opening the doors for young, especially, black coaches. That’s an honour that I can do that.”
"Other black coaches like Geoff Toyana and Enoch Nkwe have won this award ... but honestly, it’s not a young black coach that has won this award, it’s a cricket coach who has won this award and that’s how I want people to look at me. Black is the colour of my skin and I don’t want people to use that as an advantage for me, or a disadvantage at some other point. If I use that as an advantage for myself, then at some stage someone will come along and use it as a disadvantage for me, and I don’t want that. I do want this award to show young, black coaches that it is possible. If that gives people hope, then I'm happy."
Round of applause for Wandile Makwetu! 👏
He definitely announced himself well with both bat and gloves in his first season for the @KnightsCricket during the Momentum One-Day Cup and the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series. #CSAawards #ThatsOurGame pic.twitter.com/PfiouV6YEH
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 4, 2020
Gwavu’s success is remarkable given he was thrown in at the deep end last season, when Enoch Nkwe, who’d hired him as an assistant the previous summer, was called on to coach the Proteas team in India. The 33 year old oversaw the Lions’ successful defence of their Four-Day series title.
The year before - when Nkwe was crowned Coach of the Year - the Lions won two domestic titles while Gwavu was also part of the Jozi Stars’ coaching staff when that side won the inaugural Mzansi Super League competition.
His coaching career started in the Eastern Cape at the Warriors, where following injury he was encouraged to take up coaching. “ I was advised, when I was very young - 20 or 21 - that I was a decent coach. Dave Emslie (the Warriors CEO at the time) and Andre du Plessis was the Academy Coach at the Warriors then saw something in me. I used to help (Du Plessis) out with one on one sessions, whilst I was in the academy as a player. I had a lot of injuries back then as a player, I thought to myself, that (coaching) could be a way in which I could give back to something that I loved quite a lot.”
He worked with the Eastern Province Academy - where a 10 year old Lutho Sipamla first came across his radar - and was an assistant under Lawrence Mahatlane with the SA under-19 team.
Gwavu says his coaching philosophy is still a work in progress, but there are three elements he emphasises on a daily basis - hard work, consistency and honesty. “I’m still a young coach, so there’s no way I can say this is my philosophy, I’m still looking to improve every day.”
Wandile Gwavu made a huge impression in his first season at the helm of the @LionsCricketSA.
Under his tutelage, the Johannesburg outfit retained the 4-Day Domestic Series and finished runners-up in the Momentum One-Day Cup. #CSAawards #ThatsOurGame pic.twitter.com/suh4m3lIwE
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 4, 2020
Man-management is one area, Gwavu wants do better in next season. “It’s very important when working with people is to get the best out of people so that is why man-management is so important.”
“I did a lot of reflection during the lockdown, and one area I’m looking at is to create a good circle of experienced people around me to help me achieve excellence, I want people to support me and give me good advice because there will come a time in cricket - it always happens - where things get tough.”