Nyatlo elevates her game after overcoming a series of injuries
FOR different reasons, Ipeleng Nyatlo says she has developed an appreciation for basketball. The reason for this renewed love for the game may have to do with two injury setbacks and getting to play in continental club qualifiers. The experiences have matured her as a player and a person.
Nyatlo broke new ground when she joined the Tanzanian club, Fox Divas for Africa Basketball Women’s League qualifiers. It exposed her to a higher level of basketball and made her question why the game in South Africa was so stagnant.
In an interview with The Big Tip Off, Nyatlo explains how she began to see the game in a different light after her second brush with injury and during her time with Fox Divas.
Nyatlo came face-to-face with her body’s fragility during her first two seasons in South Africa’s Women’s Basketball National League (WBNL). A meniscus tear on her right leg (2021) and a broken right wrist (2022) derailed her progress in the game.
She says the setbacks were a teachable moment for her. She honestly reflected that the time on the sidelines re-emphasised why a team exists.
“My first year in the league, I tore my meniscus and was out for the season. In the second (season) I broke my wrist… That was challenging because it was my dominant hand. It was challenging. I was saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe this… First my hand and now my knee’. What’s going on?” Nyatlo asked herself.
“I told myself I was not going to break down because of the injuries. I was going to learn as much as possible. The biggest thing I surprisingly learnt was the importance of everyone in the team. Not that I did not know it before the injuries, but I realised the role players on the bench have and that they can be more useful for the players on the court. So, I learnt to appreciate the game from the sidelines.
“I genuinely learnt to be supportive of other people on the court.”
Nyatlo also learnt that instead of being self-reliant during her recovery, she could lean on others for support. After being out of the game for a year and a half, she told IOL Sport she consulted a therapist to help her reconnect with the game.
“Being at work I felt like something was missing. It got to a stage where work was no longer enjoyable. The schedule was hectic and I went on a downward spiral mental health-wise. I had stopped doing the things I loved so I reached out to a therapist who reminded me how I used to just go distress at basketball court when I was a student. But that with work all that was gone. She encouraged me to go back to doing the thing I love and get fuel from it so I could do the things I had to do,” said Nyatlo.
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When she eventually returned to the court during the annual Ashraf Loedewyk tournament in the colours of the Rising Suns, Nyatlo felt she was a shell of her pre-injury self. To regain her on-court confidence, the point guard enlisted the services of skills trainer Nica Nicolae, who has worked with some well-known names in African basketball.
Nyatlo was overcome by nervousness ahead of the session with Nicolae, but she looked within for encouragement which led to a change in attitude.
“After the Ashies, I had a session with NIBA (Nicolae’s skills program). I had not touched a ball in a while… In his training sessions, you do a lot. Heading there, I did not know how I would do,” said Nyatlo. “So when he set the date, I sat the whole week thinking, ‘I am going to be terrible. This guy will post my workout on the net, while I am terrible’.
“Then I remembered this line, ‘Don’t write yourself off’. Whenever I feel something might be difficult, I remind myself of those words. So I’ll never think I am unworthy. I will not be the first person to write myself off. If I get cut from me team, it will not be because I thought less of my ability or myself.”
Following a productive WBNL season culminating in a final appearance with the Tshwane Suns, Nyatlo switched to the more competitive climes – suiting up for Tanzania’s Fox Divas to help their attempt to make the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA).
“I was grateful to get the experience because in South Africa, we don’t get to play much international basketball. It reminded me of my first BWB. I was used to playing with players from South Africa. Then, I got exposed to the skill level of other players and realised there was a gap. I knew I was not doing enough so when I got back, I started working my game,” said Nyatlo. It was a similar experience when I played with Fox. We lost most of our games, but I was grateful for that experience and playing against competitive teams.
“In a similar fashion, I am going home, and I will work differently… You realise that there are different levels to this game of basketball.”
The experience in Tanzania had Nyatlo wondering why basketball in South Africa was not progressing. She felt the country had sufficient basketball amenities to succeed on the court.
“Some of the big takeaways were probably off the court. South Africa is well-equipped (in terms of basketball), and we are blessed with facilities. It baffles me that some countries don’t have as much as we do, but they perform much better than us. So what is it?” asked Nyatlo.
“Do they have more leagues or better coaches? These are some of the questions I asked myself. What is also amazing is how people (in Tanzania) show up for basketball. For the local leagues, people pack those venues. They love basketball there.”
Nyatlo seems to have had her foundations shaken for the better in Tanzania. She is realising there is room for growth in her skillset. While her home country, South Africa, lags in basketball in some parts of the continent, the game keeps moving, allowing players like Nyatlo to broaden their horizons.
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