DEDICATION
4.7 Conclusion
119 I think it was one of the worse decisions I made, I just made SA [team] and I stopped. I guess it was getting in the way of my studies. I felt I was focused when I was in swimming and then I felt that I was not that focused anymore.
Something was missing in my life.Da7
Daryl looks up to the senior swimmer in the KZN team, but a South African swimmer is his main sporting hero:
It is Wesley Gilchrest; he was a youngster that also trained hectic. I always looked up to him; he was an all-rounder, an elder in the KZN team. Yes, he was three years older than me, but my main hero will be Ryk Neethling. Da8
As a swimmer Daryl has had his fair share of ups and downs, especially with regard to transformation and the fact that swimming has been predominately a white sport. He has been a target of racial discrimination:
Especially with swimming so white-based and it is so weird to see an Indian guy or black guy or coloured guy swimming but you will always get people, like I tell someone that I am an SA swimmer, they look at you weird, it does put you off but it also motivated you in a way. When I went for SA games, one of the rugby players told my friend in Afrikaans that I probably made it in swimming because of quota. He thought I did not understand him, but I did and I chose to ignore him. Da9
4.6.3 Synopsis: Boys’ individual sports
The stories of the boys who played individual sports show these learners to have leadership qualities. They are very much on their own when it comes to training and competition. The individualist nature of their sport drives these learners to be the best.
The quota system being in their favour, and affords them the opportunity to compete and opens these learners up to criticism, even though they have proved themselves and made it into the South African team.
120 excellence. They show the importance of the family, coaches and significant others and also demonstrate the impact of team spirit in a diverse setting, bringing out the unique role of race, class and culture in each case. These learners’ stories reveal the links between the learners’ notion of the self; the people who support them; their environment and society; and the unique way in which diversity feeds itself in their quest to achieve sporting excellence in a transforming society.
In this study the emerging thematic patterns were noted by moving backwards and forwards between the raw data. Groupings of the codes into themes was undertaken to see how they related to each other and to the research question. A brief overview is given on each of the five themes generated from the learners’ stories, which will be expanded on in detail in the next chapter.
THEME ONE – SPORTING EXCELLENCE, SELF AND IDENTITY Preparing for the race
The learners’ characters and personalities are many and varied and includes how learners see themselves both as individuals and sportspersons, what drives them to achieve, their goals and vision, kind of physique, how they view injuries to themselves, their role models and who looks up to them, roles they play, the incentives that drive them and their spare-time activities.
THEME TWO – SPORTING EXCELLENCE AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT The starting block
The learners’ childhood grounding and immediate support structures are discussed in this theme. Many individuals within the learners’ close-knit circle impact on their performance. The commitment and sacrifices of parents, coaches and significant others play a vital part in the learners’ sporting journey.
121 THEME THREE – SPORTING EXCELLENCE, SCHOOLING AND THE CURRICULUM
Building up speed
The schools that learners attend seem to play an important part in their sports performance. Parents are aware of the importance of the school, especially in providing the best possible setting for the learners to excel in their chosen sport. Seeking the perfect school has resulted in many learners schooling outside of their home environment. The school’s role in recruiting learners, providing coaching, emphasising PE in the curriculum and ensuring a balance between academic work and sports enhances the learners’ chances of excelling in sport.
THEME FOUR – SPORTING EXCELLENCE, TEAM SPIRIT AND TALENT SEARCH
Accelerating the speed
Making it into the KZN team is determined and influenced by many factors. The selection process, talent search and elitist nature of some sports have a great impact on how learners make the team. The KZN team is made up of learners from different racial backgrounds, and how they interact with each other in the team and promotion of team spirit are very relevant to the success of the KZN provincial team.
THEME FIVE – SPORTING EXCELLENCE, RACE, CLASS AND CULTURE Crossing the finishing line
The learners are from very diverse backgrounds, especially in this transforming society.
Their socio-economic background, language, race, class and culture have to be negotiated. The effect of the quota system and the presence of racism have created an added burden for the learners.
In the next chapter the themes which were generated from the learners’ stories are analysed in detail, using key phrases articulated by the learners. I present an analysis
122 and interpretation of these stories, and in so doing provide a complete picture of who these learners are and how they are achieving in a transforming society.
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