{"id":19577,"date":"2022-09-03T10:01:52","date_gmt":"2022-09-03T10:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/lesotho\/all-news\/leokaokes-tricky-dilemma"},"modified":"2022-09-03T10:05:04","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T10:05:04","slug":"leokaokes-tricky-dilemma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/lesotho\/all-news\/leokaokes-tricky-dilemma","title":{"rendered":"Leokaoke\u2019s tricky dilemma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Lesotho. <\/strong><\/span>A top cricket player and football midfield maestro all at once. That is the wonderful dilemma facing Lebona Leokaoke. For many multi-talented people, choosing a career path can be a daunting decision.<\/p>\n

This was the scenario that Leokaoke, 33, of Teya-Teyaneng was faced with at some point in his life. Talented in two sporting disciplines, Leokaoke had to face the reality of choosing which of the two dreams to chase.<\/p>\n

Leokaoke is regarded as one of the best performing cricket players Lesotho has ever produced, having played locally and abroad. But besides being a cricket player, he is a fantastic football player, a midfield maestro who, when given a chance, performs wonders in the field of play.<\/p>\n

His affiliation to these two diverse sporting codes emerged while growing up in the vibrant streets of Teya-Teyaneng. \u201cInitially, like any other boy who grew up in Lesotho, soccer is a sport which I got introduced to at an early age.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout my primary education, I always had the opportunity to play soccer with my age mates and peers in the dusty streets of Teya-Teyaneng.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would utilise any vacant plot of land around the village to set up small informal soccer pitches where we would play.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is where I became a soccer wonder kid that I even earned a nickname \u2018Shakes Khungwane\u2019.<\/p>\n

I was a very skilful player and always did magic with the ball,\u201d he said. Being a football player was however short lived, thanks to his progression to high school.<\/p>\n

The sports policy which was set at his new high school was out of sync with his early childhood sport, soccer. \u201cUnfortunately when I enrolled at Assumption High School at the age of 13 in 2002, matters changed.<\/p>\n

Our principal, who was one of the officials of Cricket Lesotho, had made it mandatory for all Form As to take part in cricket. \u201cI involuntarily took part in cricket.<\/p>\n

This was a blessing in disguise because I performed just as well as I used to with soccer. \u201cI began to love and enjoy cricket and quickly developed a strong passion for it.<\/p>\n

I won several gold medals as a player in high school tournaments,\u201d he said. So far in his cricket career, Leokaoke has played for a number of teams both in Lesotho and South Africa.<\/p>\n

He has also added several accolades to his name in the world of cricket. \u201cFrom as early as 2007 I was selected to join the junior national team which took part in the Four Nations tournament in Bloemfontein.<\/p>\n

Upon my return, I joined Fedetia Cricket Club. \u201cIn 2008, I moved to Roma for a university degree where I joined the National University of Lesotho team, NUL Vampires.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2009, I played my first intervarsity games against Botswana and Eswatini university teams and won a gold medal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe following year we won another gold medal at the intervarsity games.
\n\u201cThe teams which I played for in Lesotho include Maseru United Cricket Club, which was a multiracial team consisting of players from India, Sri Lanka, Lesotho and the Philippines.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also played for Tigers Cricket Club, Bails Cricket Club and while in South Africa I played for Moratuwa Cricket Club, Ficksburg United Club and Upcoming Young Stars club,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Besides being a player, Leokaoke has taken up a coaching role at Cricket Lesotho\u2019s development structures. \u201cIn 2014, I helped organise a camp for over 80 kids in Leribe for four days and we taught them all aspects of cricket and life skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2015, I became the NUL Vampires ladies\u2019 team coach in Botswana and won a gold medal and I became part of Basotho IX team that went to Randfontein, South Africa, as a player coach and a captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of our performance, we were invited for the Triune championship in Swannaville, South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same year, I organised a camp in Mafeteng where over forty kids attended,\u201d he said Leokaoke\u2019s cabinet boasts of a number of trophies which he earned through hard work and dedication.<\/p>\n

These include four best batsman trophies, one player of the series trophy, one best bowler trophy, eleven gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is really outstanding for a player from an uncommon sport in Lesotho.<\/p>\n

The highlight of my career in cricket is playing in the triune championship in Swanaville. \u201cI scored over half a century and took six wickets. It\u2019s a tough feat to achieve,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ever since being attached to cricket, Leokaoke has had a soft spot for the sport and believes that it is a sport which teaches decency. \u201cCricket teaches respect and above all general discipline.<\/p>\n

From a young age, people are taught to be disciplined. This ethos is upheld in cricket because players are taught to be respectful and friendly towards the equipment they use.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, if a cricket player roughly throws away a cricket bat they get fined. This helps people to live in harmony with others,\u201d he said. Leokaoke hails cricket for positively shaping the character and behaviour of players in a number of ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cForemost, in order to eliminate your opponent you need six balls per over and it only takes sharpness and tactics to know when it\u2019s the right time to strike or not to strike.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Test games, from the essence of the word \u2018test\u2019, this is where one\u2019s determination, patience and abilities to resist what is com<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Lesotho<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Lesotho. A top cricket player and football midfield maestro all at once. That is the wonderful dilemma facing Lebona Leokaoke. For many multi-talented people, choosing a career path can be a daunting decision. This was the scenario that Leokaoke, 33, of Teya-Teyaneng was faced with at some point in his life. Talented in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":19576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8,17,16],"tags":[233,246,245],"class_list":["post-19577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-homepage-english","category-sport","category-twitter","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-lesotho","tag-lesotho"],"yoast_head":"\nLeokaoke\u2019s tricky dilemma - Lesotho<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A top cricket player and football midfield maestro all at once. 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