KZN Athletics: Chris White's 'presidency' vision for a transparent and effective administration

HAVING operated as a qualified athletics coach locally and internationally, Chris White is looking to lengthen his stride, take up the administration baton and drive the sport to new levels of excellence.

White, a seasoned coach who has worked with athletes at grassroots level and on global stages, and also managed national athletics teams, has accepted his nomination for the presidency of KZN Athletics.

KZNA is due to release its full list of nominations for the position in the coming days and the process to elect the president  and other executive positions is set to happen on June 14 in Durban.

Steve Mkasi is currently the president of the organisation, since 2021 and has accepted his nomination for another 4-year term of office.

White has also accepted his nomination for the KZNA’s president post.

Taking on KZNA’s top position is not for the faint-hearted considering that the organisation has over 200 affiliated clubs, and is beset with various challenges. 

A major issue remains the legal battle that resulted from KZNA's attempts to exercise greater control over the Comrades Marathon by adjusting its membership criteria.

Just as well White rates coaching sprint and hurdles athletes as his speciality, and he believes he will be able to draw on those skills to help him navigate boardroom challenges and bring better days for KZNA, in good time. 

 White’s coaching philosophy hinges on his view that a good coach can coach any discipline in the sport, he has made that a reality during his 20-years of coaching in South Africa.

The US-born White has produced national champions in just about every track and field discipline in South Africa.

Some of the top athletes he worked with includes Kerry Koen, a three-time Comrades gold medalist, national sprinter Zoe Engler who participated at the 2017 World Championship in London.

White has also worked with International sprinters like Anaso Jobodwana, Thando Dlodlo and Miranda Coetzee via their respective coaches.

And he has collaborated with Paul Gorries, the coach of the SA relay team that recently enjoyed much success in China, and with the country’s sprint legend Geraldine Pillay, over the years.

He has achieved a Level 3 coaching badge from Athletics South Africa, a USA Track and Field Level I coaching certification and is one of a few coaches in the country with a World Athletics qualification in strength and conditioning. 

He is a long-standing trainer and moderator for the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) national coach education programme.

White holds various positions that are focused on coaching, advancement and development of the sport, including chairman of ASA’s High-Performance Commission and a member of the KZN Sports Confederation Coaches Committee.

His educational qualification includes a Master of Science in Management of Technology and Innovation from Da Vinci University, where his research focused on high-performance coaching.

He believes his years of involvement in the sport, coaching and managing, has prepared him well for his leap at administration.

“Having had the opportunity to see athletics from all aspects from bottom to the pinnacle of the elite world championships to Olympic Games, I feel as if I have a good perspective to see what gaps we can fill.”

He hopes to deliver administration with integrity and make KZNA’s operations more transparent, if he elected.

“Many things have been done cloak and dagger in the past.”

Regarding the court matter involving the Comrades Marathon Association, its members and KZNA, White believes that if the parties sat-around a table, differences could be ironed out 

He is mindful not to make wholesale changes for the sake of change.

“I don’t want to come in and start changing everything. That will be the mistake which the last few administrations have made.”

White said it would be more impactful for administrators to be more in tune with the varying needs of clubs in the different districts across the province.

He noticed past administrators produced loaded manifestos which were out of touch with reality.

“Forward plans need to be tailor-made to suit communities. Most districts are in dire need of funding but the federation doesn’t have a big endless budget.”

White believes he was the right person to lead KZNA because when he arrived in South Africa he worked with a Non-Profit Organisation and continues to work with them.

“In being with the NPO, you have to ensure that your administration is always on the ‘A-game’ level.

“When I travelled with the SA team to Ghana for the All Africa Games recently, I was required to coach and manage the team, and management is all about your administration, regardless of how good your coaching is.”

He said transparency and having good communication skills were also key.

“Since SASCOC and Athletics SA have on many occasions deemed me qualified enough to coach and manage their teams, I feel going towards the admin side of the sport will be an easy transition.

“I’m also a livestock farmer by profession so that requires me to be an agricultural man. In this profession if your paperwork and management abilities are not up to scratch, you will suffer.

He said an added advantage would be his firsthand interaction with star athletes who he knew when they were teenagers like Gift Leotlela, Clarence Munyai and Akani Simbine.

“I’ve seen what worked for them and what didn’t, like knowing Wade van Niekerk’s since he was a child.”

White said landing the position would be one of his best athletics achievements.

“With me getting into administration, the sport would be receiving someone who has the athletes best interests at heart and he would ensure that all aspects of the sport were working cohesively.

DAILY NEWS