#TuksAthletics: For Samuel Sepeng, coaching is a calling

Posted on October 04, 2024

The two things that drive Samuel Sepeng every day he steps onto the athletics track to coach are his desire to make a difference in athletes' lives and to leave a lasting legacy.

As the Tuks middle-distance coach, Sepeng is well on his way to achieving that. Seven of the athletes he trained competed at the Paris Olympic Games, with two of them reaching the finals in the 800 metres. Tshepiso Masalela from Botswana finished seventh in the men's final with a personal best of 1:42.82, while Prudence Sekgodiso (TuksSport High School matriculant), placed eighth with a time of 1:58.79. Sepeng currently coaches athletes from South Africa, Botswana, and Australia.

Sepeng's passion for athletics was ignited at the age of nine when his brother, Hezekiel Sepeng, won a silver medal in the men's 800m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Watching his brother cross the finish line was a life-changing moment, and young Samuel vowed to one day win an Olympic medal as well.

Like his brother, Samuel competed in the 800m and 1500m events. He was talented, representing South Africa as an under-18 athlete, but never quite reached the senior level. This led him to transition into coaching, where he is now making a profound impact on the next generation of athletes.

"From a personal perspective, being at the Paris Games with my brother was a dream come true. But it is not mission accomplished as one brother has a medal and the other does not."

Sepeng is confident that one of the athletes he coaches will medal at the 2028 Olympics. 

"Paris was a learning curve for me and my athletes. Knowing now what the Games is about means the real journey starts from next year. The immediate goal is to get an athlete to medal."

Coaching is genuinely a calling to Sepeng. 

"I coach is to make a difference in athletes' lives. Not money. Most of the athletes I coach don't have money. So, I have a clubhouse where I and most of the senior athletes stay. I buy the food for all of us. To see my athletes happy and achieve their goals is my reward. 

"There are days when, as a coach, I am down, but everything changes when I step onto the track. It is as if I am where I need to be. I make sure there is a smile on my face. The athletes consider me a funny coach, a friend and a father." 

One of Sepeng's special memories was when he went to meet Sekgodiso's parents. 

"She comes from a disadvantaged background. I promised her parents we would return to build them a big house. To see that house now makes me a proud coach."

The Tuks middle-distance coach of the TuksAthletics Academy, supported by the Athletics Cycling Education Trust at TuksSport High School, is a self-proclaimed sports fanatic. In his free time, you'll often find him watching rugby, cricket, or football. A devoted supporter of the Springboks, he also has a personal history with rugby, having been an enthusiastic player during his school days.

Aside from sports, his other passion lies in cars. Sepeng loves nothing more than restoring old vehicles. He proudly drives a Volkswagen Jetta that he’s personally restored, and he’s currently working on refurbishing a Volkswagen Microbus. Once the project is complete, it will serve as a transport vehicle for him and his athletes.

- Author Wilhelm De Swardt

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