The rise of a basketball coach thanks to the MOD

Born and raised in the Cape Winelands town of Paarl, Nathaly September discovered her passion for sport at Groenheuwel Primary. After matriculating in 2004, the Mass Participation; Opportunity and Access; Development and Growth (MOD) Programme gave her a new sense of purpose and launched a basketball coaching career that continues to uplift young lives.

“As a coach, you must make your voice heard, share your opinions, your stories, and you must be able to listen to others. This programme has helped me to do just that, and has not only nurtured my career growth, but also my personal growth. At the end of the day, I work with so many different kids from so many different backgrounds.

The MOD Programme is an after-school, mass participation initiative that provides school-going youth with access to various fun, play-based and modified activities in recreation and sport, as well as in arts and culture, on a daily basis.

It is offered across the Western Cape at MOD Centres based at either primary or high schools.

Above and beyond coaching at Groenheuwel Primary, September now coaches at Stellenbosch University and with the Western Cape Mountaineers basketball team, which takes up much of her time.

“The MOD Programme has helped me unlock potential I never knew I had, and empowered me to a point where I can now impart knowledge to others. I feel that at this stage of my life, I’m ready to start a new chapter.”

As soon as she started primary school, she was drawn to various sporting codes.

But after matriculating, she felt her life had come to a standstill with no clear direction.

That’s when she discovered the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and applied to be part of the MOD Programme. She was accepted – and from there, she gained a new lease on life.

In the early years of her coaching career, she led a team to win the Under-13 national basketball championship – her proudest moment at the time.

“The MOD Programme has helped me unlock potential I never knew I had, and empowered me to a point where I can now impart knowledge to others,” she concluded. 

This information was supplied by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.