The Company We Keep: Wendy Gila – rolling in the deep

By Colin Ford

I meet Wendy Gila at the Nelson Mandela Sports Complex in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, at 8am on a Saturday. Despite ample cloud cover, the temperature is already in the late 20s. I am here to talk about roller sports, specifically artistic roller skating, inline speed skating and skateboarding.

Wendy is the president of Roller Sport South Africa. She’s also coach, confidant and sometime-mother to the dedicated group of skaters who practise at the roller rink five times a week.

“You’ve got to be committed to get good enough to participate on the world stage,” she says. “We have one boy who travels 7km, often by foot, to come to practice.

“For many of our kids, all they have is school and skating.”

Everyone’s skates are well worn, with patches on several of them, showing extensive use and thrift.

“If someone’s skate breaks, we make a plan and fix it in whatever way we can,” says Wendy. “None of the kids own their own skates. We have to import them ourselves from overseas.”

At R3500 a pair, and with around 40 skaters on the squad, that’s a big capital outlay – as is the rink itself, which accommodates both artistic and speed skaters.

“The rink was built with Lottery funding – before it dried up – and upgraded in 2014 by the City of Tshwane. After eight years, it is badly in need of maintenance,” says Wendy. “We survive on an annual grant from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, although we are still waiting for the funds to come through for the current financial year, which ends in March. We’re getting by on a shoestring. And with SA Champs scheduled for March, we’re in desperate need of funding.”

Fourteen clubs

The Hammanskraal skating club is one of 14 across South Africa, which has a proud roller sport history.

“Our skaters finished in the top 10 in every world championship they participated in before 2014, when we lost our Lottery funding, and we sent three skateboarders to the Tokyo Olympics last year,” says Wendy.

One of these was Brandon Valjalo, who is sponsored by EasyEquities.

“It was a privilege to attend the Olympics with our skateboarders, who did South Africa proud in the games.”

Back home, though, roller sports face some tough challenges.

“Money is always a problem,” says Wendy. “We need funds to equip our athletes, maintain our facilities, train coaches and judges, organise and attend local events, and participate in international competitions. The grant we get from DSAC just doesn’t cover it, and we often have to come up with the funds ourselves.”

Wendy says everyone who works in the sport in South Africa is a volunteer.

“For us, the rewards are beyond financial. Seeing the passion and dedication of the skaters is hugely fulfilling. These kids have nothing. Many of them live with their grannies while their parents are away earning a living. Skating is their everything. It teaches them discipline and keeps them active. Ultimately it’s a winning situation for everyone.”