When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That is the seven-word mantra UFH Blues co-assistant backline coach Zimi Ngetu lives by. A former UFH player, Ngetu was forced into early retirement after sustaining a serious shoulder injury during the 2022 season.
At the time, it seemed the game had been taken away from him, but the unconventional path of coaching offered him a lifeline.
“After suffering my injury, things were a bit hard, and I was frankly depressed after my operation,” he said.
“Things changed in 2024 when Chase Morison took over as head coach at Fort Hare.
“He backed me and offered me the chance to coach the East London side. We made it to the first division, and in December I was offered the role of co-assistant for the Varsity Shield campaign.”
Ngetu was part of the Blues team that won the prestigious title in 2022 after beating FNB CPUT at the Davidson Stadium.
He says the transition from player to coach has been interesting, and challenging but rewarding.
“It hasn’t been easy because I’m still working on gaining the trust of the players.
“It’s also a challenge but I lean on my mentors. A guy like Lumumba Currie has been influential in this journey.”
The former Blues star says he wants to use coaching to inspire the next generation and change player’s lives.
He intends on capitalizing on the same Varsity Shield tournament he played in to make his mark in the coaching world.
“Coaching was never in the plans but now I just want to learn as much as I can,” he added.
“I want to link this experience with my administration and possibly use it soon. It’s something I take seriously.”
Ngetu and the Blues are still in search of their first victory in this year’s competition after three losses against FNB CPUT, FNB Madibaz and FNB UWC.
They linger at the bottom of the log with 0 points and are fighting relegation with just four matches left in this year’s tournament.
The Blues will host FNB Varsity College on Thursday, 6 March at the Davidson Stadium. Kick-off for that match is at 17:00.
Fixtures: HERE
Tickets: HERE
By: Avuyile Sawula
Comments