Tumelo Qophe has been named the Lesotho representative among 79 inspiring young people around the world. This comes after a nomination from the National Olympic Committee.
The representatives will serve as Young Change-Makers for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Young Change-Makers group comprises of active athletes, Olympians, Young Change Makers alumni, sport coaches, students and young professionals, all under the age of 30.
The mission of Young Change-Makers is to support the young Youth Olympic Games athletes and to inspire other young people in their communities using their experiences at the Youth Olympic Games.
The Youth Olympic Games are an elite sporting event for young athletes aged between 15 and 18 from all over the world. An event distinct from other youth sports events, as they also integrate a unique Culture and Education Program, based around five main themes: Olympism, Social Responsibility, Skills Development, Expression and Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles.
Tumelo Qophe began as a volunteer at the Lesotho Basketball Association. One day he decided to attend the young participants’ session in the Lesotho Olympic Academy. He got heavily involved at the camp and used his soft skills to grow and showcase what he could offer in the sports world.
At the end of the session, he received a noble award given to outstanding candidates. He later on received a call for nomination as a Young Change-Maker.
It normally doesn’t end at just the nomination, there’s a lot of work to do afterward and it was no different for him. Tumelo says it took a lot of hard work juggling school with the multitude town visits to arrange logistics of the program. “I have also been doing a lot of drafting for the programs that are going to be implemented.” He added.
“I cannot abandon the vigorous thinking process I am engaged in for the sake of coming up with advantageous strategic plans to make the program a success. But thanks to my university, the National University of Lesotho; the education I have been given this far has really helped me shape up into a thought leader.”
“I would love to see the unification of sports corporate supporters to allow for better strategic funding that allows for mass sports development.” Tumelo said in light to the changes he wishes to see now in the Olympics looking at his involvement as ambassador.
“The change I believe should come is that of intrinsic strategic funding; funds that are used in a long term spectrum and not for the occurrence of occasions in sports.” Tumelo said firmly.
“We are sponsoring tournaments not tournament domes and stadiums. We are sponsoring events in sports and not intellectual property created during such events.” He clarified. He continued to add that the most motivating tool they have in sports is ones nation but argued that the awareness of sports is still low when compared with what they want to achieve.
“This flows from the fact that even today a “suit” is seen as a foreign tool; we are stereotypical when it comes to understanding that the pixie dust to the manic of talent is the large network of deals, agreements, and partnerships with substantial economic models.” He emphasized.
Tumelo disputes that the administration of sports is, today, still a tool exercised by passion and not principle. So in essence the change in the doctrine of sports is a key to a better world. “The fact is that we are lead by a model of veterans rule and youngsters follow, but no one knows the grounds like the veterans in the making, only they can really tell what it takes for skill to thrive in today’s competitive environment.”
He maintains that it will take a lot of dedication and bravery but a new dimension in sports must be a defined one marked by strong justice, administration and political institutions within our world.
“When last have the news in sports been about expulsions and radical administration changes in major sports administration posts? The normality of game results and less debate about the shady administration malpractice lessons we have learned over the years are rarely discussed.” He commented disparagingly.
Tumelo continued to add that he leads his team with a hope of depending on talent and where hunger for world domination is on a high but asserts that is but a notch of the whole gear system that must be set up to bring mass convictions of ‘the change I want to see begins with me’.
“For Lesotho to prosper through sporting, we need to invest in a legacy of a culture of winning, creation of principles and of course the expression of the already nutritious Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect.”