Delani Mahashi, better known as Zweli, is a lively 20-year-old Skillz Coach from Danielskuil. In late September 2009, he volunteered as a coach in a Skillz Holiday Programme, sponsored by Castrol. With his vibrant personality and contagious energy, Zweli led a group of ten students from Isago Primary School through the Skillz Core curriculum and Skillz Street games during the week-long programme.
Zweli fully adopted the Fair Play mantra of Skillz Street, ensuring that all participants were enjoying their games while simultaneously supporting and encouraging one another. He frequently initiated and became the center of mass celebrations after scored goals, regardless of which team had scored. Most notably, on the final day, when a fellow coach was unable to attend, Zweli stepped in without hesitation to coach the stranded team, in addition to his own. Despite the fields for each team being far apart, Zweli sprinted back and forth between the games to coach both teams. His dedication and enthusiasm were unmatched.
Zweli truly emerged as an extraordinary role model for the participants during the voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) portion of the programme on the final day. Leading up to the VCT, Zweli had encouraged his team to learn their status. As he did this, members of his team began to challenge him unexpectedly. They pushed him to test as well. He recalled one participant in particular, “Tomorrow, Coach, you’re saying to know your status at the VCT. We challenge you to know as well.” Zweli took this challenge to heart. Throughout the week, he struggled with the internal debate of whether or not he would test. Even on the day of the VCT, as he ran between soccer matches to coach both teams, he flip-flopped between deciding he would test and then reneging. But his team held strong with their pressure for him to know his status.
During lunch, a programme coordinator reminded Zweli that now was an opportune time to take interested members from his team to be tested, and if he was willing, to be a role model for them and test as well. In this moment, Zweli met the challenge. As he proclaimed to his team that he was going to be tested, a horde of participants, including members of other teams, enthusiastically marched over with him and overwhelmed the testing tent. The inspiration he gave to these children, who had previously been completely uninterested in testing, was truly incredible. The minimum age to test with New Start was fourteen and suddenly participants were so eager to be tested that they attempted to convince coaches that they were of an older age, despite their records proving they were too young. Zweli went on to test with multiple children during lunch. They attended pre-counseling together and after he had been tested, he waited for each child to exit and ensured that he or she was okay. Zweli later recounted that it was the inspiration from his team that empowered him to learn his status. He was proud of their courage to test, but also of their ability to instill courage within him as well.
Immediately following his testing, Zweli ran to the championship field, where his team was about to begin their competition. The game had been put on hold until Zweli finished at the testing tent. He joined his team and without faltering, jumped back into coaching. Despite losing the final game, he and his team celebrated grandly, demonstrating the true meaning of sportsmanship and Fair Play embodied by Skillz. Zweli is a genuine inspiration to all and his power as a Skillz coach came to life in the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme.
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