Spending hours riding the ramps and learning new tricks, Kgopotso Molishiwa, Sbusiso Voko and Lesedi Modise have found freedom and happiness through skateboarding. Based in Winterveldt, the trio have established their friendship through skateboarding and have since never looked back.
One of the three friends Kgopotso Molishiwa revealed in an interview with Tshwane Bulletin that holding a skateboard for the first time motivated them to want to learn more about the sport and started practicing how to skate.
The trio established their own skateboarding club in 2020 after realising how good they were. “ When we first saw a skate board in real life we were just curious wanting to know more about it so yeah that’s when we decided to create our own thing, ” said Molishiwa .
Some of the challenges Molishiwa and friends face is the lack of skateboarding competitions in townships as there are less people interested in skateboarding.
He believes the only way to get people interested in the sport is through creating events where all skateboarders will be able to showcase their skills .He also mentioned the lack of skating equipment as one of their biggest challenge . He said , “ To have full equipment , full skating kit and good conditioned skateboards is a challenge , we are not covered because we haven’t been recognised yet,”
Despite the challenges, Molishiwa lauds the community of Winterveldt for encouraging and supporting them. “The support in the community has been amazing, elders are motivating us almost every day to keep pushing until we become the best.”
Molishiwa urges young boys and girls who are into skateboarding not give up on their dreams and hopes in future Skateboarding gets recognition like any other sport in the country.