Sports Shack is a store which sells and donates used sporting equipment to underprivileged communities in Johannesburg. By selling at a reduced cost, more people could benefit from good quality sports equipment without spending too much.
Ahmed Nawab is a cricket coach and owner of Sports Shack. The idea of his community project was inspired by the next-door store, which sold donated clothing and gave the proceeds to charity.
Nawab said the initial idea was to open a store and sell new sporting equipment. However, after coaching in townships, he realised how expensive sporting equipment is and how some athletes could not afford them. From then on, his business model took on a different form.
He knew how crucial sporting equipment is to a child’s athletic development and how the lack of equipment and resources inhibits that. Therefore, he took it upon himself to start this initiative to give back to the community by providing underprivileged children with donated sporting equipment and selling some at affordable prices.
“The one thing that’s glaring is the gap between those who can afford it and those who can’t afford it. [There] might be a talented cricketer, for example, just as talented as a privileged cricketer, but because one has such good equipment … And the other one has something that [they] can’t hit the ball through the inner ring, you can just imagine the difficulties that they’ll face.”
Moreover, he encourages others to participate and donate their used sporting equipment, which will immensely impact those in need.
“I’m sure those who can afford it will have something that these boys can definitely use to good effect. [It] will definitely make a difference in their lives. In a way, we’re just trying to make sure we can bridge the gap between those less privileged and those that are privileged.”
Nawabs’ Passion for Sport
Nawab’s passion for sports stems from his family, particularly his father and grandfather. He remembered fondly playing all forms of sport in the park as a youth, with cricket being his favourite.
As he got older, he pursued a career as a cricket player and played first-class cricket in Gauteng. Later, he went from player to coach and began coaching cricket to young aspiring athletes in townships.
“I ended up coaching a lot of the boys from townships. You understand the difficulties, and you understand the plight that they’re in when it comes to equipment and those sorts of needs. It’s not only equipment. It’s everything from nutrition to equipment to all those sorts of things. But also, when you see these young boys and girls, they just have so much love and joy running around the sports field, wanting to play and wanting to enjoy themselves. But they all don’t have the best facilities first of all, and then obviously the equipment that goes with it.”
He adds there were times when he would offer free cricket lessons to whoever wanted to learn, and in terms of equipment, Nawab would always try to assist in whichever way he could.
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More Than a Coach
Nawabs’ journey in cricket provided him with beneficial lessons and experiences, which he now departs onto the athletes he coaches.
However, the process has not always been easy, as Nawab has had to overcome specific challenges. Sometimes the young athletes did not heed his lessons. Still, with continuous and persistent effort, he is always hopeful for a positive outcome.
“If we’re going to ignore kids who can’t afford things, how are we actually going to make an impact in society and an impact in their lives? We have an opportunity, [now] we have more than an opportunity. It’s an obligation to help those who are in need.”
To others, he would be more than a coach. Nawab said some children come from single-parent homes, and he became a father figure to some of his athletes. A responsibility he shoulders with great pride.
“In the South African context, it’s even more important because you realise that it’s not just about the coach, and it’s not just about teaching them cricket or helping them along the journey in cricket but life in general. You definitely do become sort of a father figure in a way for many … There’s a lot more than cricket coaching that happens. You’ve got to guide these young boys through life itself, through the journey of studying and the importance of education. Then enjoy the cricket journey in a way that you can allow them to change their life for the better. We all know how tough the world is out there and if a sport is a means of changing their lives, and that’s the role that I see myself playing.”
