MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
A YOUNG Taekwondo athlete has appealed to fellow girls to take up the sport seriously to avoid engaging themselves in social vices.
Keisha Mbulo said that having joined the sport last year, it had kept her busy and also steered her away from vices in the communities.
Mbulo said temptations and group influences towards vices were high in the community hence her involvement in sports to steer off from negative influences.
She said being out of school at the moment, she was actively involved in Taekwondo.
“Taekwondo ili che bwino, better than kupezeka mu komboni, pali ine pa lwanga munjila ithandizako monga ukankala pa nyumba unga onongeke,’
“Initandiza kuti nisachoke munjila yabwino, kuti nisa onongeke, so nikubwela che kuno mwagwiritsa ka time ku sobela monga mwetinga sobelele teka teka kuno,’’ she said.
She said contrary to perceptions that sport was for men, Mbulo said she had been fitting in well in the game and urged other prospective female athletes to join the sport.
She said her aim in Taekwondo was to become a national champion and progress forward.
And ODC Taekwondo coach Sydney Njala appealed to parents in the communities to give chance to the girl child to pursue the sport.
Njala said the sport was not all about fighting but a lot of things were taught in the game hence the need for the girl child to be given a chance to see the results at the end of the day.
He said the attitude and response from the few female athletes available was overwhelming as they spent more time training.
He further noted that unlike other girls in the community, the athletes had been spared from the vices that affected young people in the compounds.
Njala said surrounding communities around the OYDC had continued to benefit from the Tuelings games initiative which was played every weekend at the centre.
