Exclusive: Mandla Mashimbyi on Breaking Barriers and Changing the Face of Cricket Coaching

Proteas women's coach Mandla Mashimbyi acknowledged the challenging journey he has been on as a coach of colour, a three-decade-long journey that has seen him create history, becoming the first coach to lead a Proteas team to an ICC Cricket World Cup final. 

Mashimbyi's Journey

Last month, Proteas Women's coach Mandla Mashimbyi became the first coach to lead a senior Proteas side to the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup, as he led the Proteas Women to their first-ever final in Navi Mumbai last month. 

However, Mashimbyi's coaching journey has been long and spans over three decades. 

Mashimbyi told SportsBoom.co.za that his journey was filled with challenges and that it was one that humbled him.

"I think my journey speaks for itself in terms of me being humble. I've been through the most. It's been 30 years for me to get to this point," Mashimbyi told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview. 

"Everything that I've gone through before was just a humbling experience for me. I've got no choice but to be humble."

"I've learnt to appreciate what you have when you have it. I always look forward to what you can build with what you have. That's my thing."

"I ask myself, how do I get better? How do I make people better? That's what's important for me, to make people better. I know it took me 30 years to get to where I am today."

"It will be unfair for me not to share and make people understand that growth doesn't come as easy it seems. There's a lot of things that might go wrong, but that's also part of growth."

"It's been long, but it's been worthwhile. I'm sitting here today, and I'm thinking it's been worthwhile. Maybe if I didn't get to this point, I wouldn't say the same."

"But I think that's what life is about. You get to a certain point in your life where you appreciate what happened yesterday. It's all about appreciation."

"Doing my job now reminds me of the road that I walked and how hard it was. I cannot just give it up and take it for granted."

The Rise of Coaches of Colour

In recent times, South Africa has seen an admirable rise of coaches of colour, and Mashimbyi is one of them. 

The two senior cricket teams, the Men's and Women's Proteas, are both coached by coaches of colour in Shukri Conrad and Mashimbyi, respectively. 

This is a feat that would have never seen the light of day in apartheid South Africa, and it shows what opportunity could do in Individuals' lives. 

Conrad recently led the Men to their first Test series victory in India in 25 years, following up his ICC World Test Championship trophy in style. 

Mashimbyi, on the other hand, has already created history as head coach of the Women's team, one year into his tenure. 

As a coach of colour, the 48-year-old emphasised that he has had to look beyond race and focus on improving himself as a coach instead.

"I think at the end of the day, it's about whether I want it or not as a person. Yes, the race factor will always be a factor. But sometimes you've got to look past those things and just try and understand what you need to do, how you need to do it, who are the people that you need by your side," Mashimbyi told SportsBoom.co.za. 

"I believe if you've got the right people next to you, they will elevate you, or they can pull you down as well if it's the wrong ones. I know, I've seen all of it. But I've never let it affect me. I've never let it hold me."

"I've never let it stop me. All I knew about life was just to give your best. Eventually, it will pay off. I guess it's paying off now."

Apart from Mashimbyi and Conrad, the likes of Wandile Gwavu (former Proteas assistant coach), Justin Ontong (Boland coach), Rory Kleinveldt (Western Province coach), Robin Peterson (Warriors coach) and Craig Alexander (Dragons coach) are making good strides as coaches of colour.