25 Years of Laureus: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done’
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A Laureus-supported surf therapy programme in South Africa has at its heart a groundbreaking young man who is guided by the words of our founding patron, Nelson Mandela.
When Apish Tshetsha first went into the ocean off the Cape Peninsula, he had a lot on his mind.
No.1 Black kids don’t surf.
“I kept telling myself ‘I'm black, I'm from Masi [Masiphumelele, a township on the peninsula], which is a black community. Surfing was for white people.
No.2 There are sharks in that water.
“I was scared of sharks and there are sharks in the ocean.”
No.3 I can’t swim.
“I didn’t know how to swim when I started surfing. That was my biggest fear – what if I drown? But there is a surfboard to keep you afloat. I learned to swim while I learned to surf. I was thrown in at the deep end.”
Today, a lot has changed. But not everything.
There are still sharks in the ocean, but they tend not to bother the young people whose lives have been transformed by Waves for Change, the Laureus-supported surf therapy programme that Apish has been a central part of since its inception.
There is more representation in surfing. This incredible, inspirational programme has grown beyond recognition since Laureus Sport for Good identified its potential and became its first funder, helping Waves for Change to take its impact to more locations; to train more coaches, to reach more kids - kids who have been adversely affected by trauma, including physical and sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and gang violence.
Apish can swim. But that’s not all he can do. He has been an integral part of the growth of Waves for Change – he co-founded the programme as a participant, became a coach and today is the safeguarding and child protection officer for the organisation.
He started surfing after being introduced to Waves for Change co-founder, Tim Conibear, through the Laureus Youth Empowerment through Sport (YES) programme. Tim was trialling Waves for Change and Apish became a founding member of the programme, despite never having surfed before and being unable to swim.
No.1 Black kids don’t surf.
“I kept telling myself ‘I'm black, I'm from Masi [Masiphumelele, a township on the peninsula], which is a black community. Surfing was for white people.
No.2 There are sharks in that water.
“I was scared of sharks and there are sharks in the ocean.”
No.3 I can’t swim.
“I didn’t know how to swim when I started surfing. That was my biggest fear – what if I drown? But there is a surfboard to keep you afloat. I learned to swim while I learned to surf. I was thrown in at the deep end.”
Today, a lot has changed. But not everything.
There are still sharks in the ocean, but they tend not to bother the young people whose lives have been transformed by Waves for Change, the Laureus-supported surf therapy programme that Apish has been a central part of since its inception.
There is more representation in surfing. This incredible, inspirational programme has grown beyond recognition since Laureus Sport for Good identified its potential and became its first funder, helping Waves for Change to take its impact to more locations; to train more coaches, to reach more kids - kids who have been adversely affected by trauma, including physical and sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and gang violence.
Apish can swim. But that’s not all he can do. He has been an integral part of the growth of Waves for Change – he co-founded the programme as a participant, became a coach and today is the safeguarding and child protection officer for the organisation.
He started surfing after being introduced to Waves for Change co-founder, Tim Conibear, through the Laureus Youth Empowerment through Sport (YES) programme. Tim was trialling Waves for Change and Apish became a founding member of the programme, despite never having surfed before and being unable to swim.
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Apish had grown up in the communities Tim was trying to reach and faced the same challenges as the young people pass through the programme.
“He’s grown into this amazing mentor,” says Tim. “He looks at kids and understands what works. He’s a great example of what happens when you believe in someone.”
When Apish and Tim were starting out, Robyn Cohen was running a children’s home in Masiphumelele. Apish and Tim would come by and collect some of the kids from the home to take part in their surf club. Robyn was observing the very first steps taken by Waves for Change, which won the Laureus Sport for Good Award at the 2017 Laureus World Sports Awards.
“I then got to know Apish outside of Waves for Change and realised what a role model he was in the community,” says Robyn, who is now the national director of Waves for Change. “He was a complete role model in terms of the way he lived his life. And he had a lot of respect and still does within the community in terms of the choices he's made.”
Apish’s journey is a perfect illustration of the Laureus mission. He provides the programme with its superpower – an authentic connection to and understanding of its community. And that is what sets Laureus Sport for Good apart – our global network supercharges programmes which empower their communities from within.
“Apish is more like a brother,” says Bulelani, now a senior coach at Waves for Change. “I met him when I was 10 years old and he taught me many things, like how I can be a role model in the community.”
“He’s grown into this amazing mentor,” says Tim. “He looks at kids and understands what works. He’s a great example of what happens when you believe in someone.”
When Apish and Tim were starting out, Robyn Cohen was running a children’s home in Masiphumelele. Apish and Tim would come by and collect some of the kids from the home to take part in their surf club. Robyn was observing the very first steps taken by Waves for Change, which won the Laureus Sport for Good Award at the 2017 Laureus World Sports Awards.
“I then got to know Apish outside of Waves for Change and realised what a role model he was in the community,” says Robyn, who is now the national director of Waves for Change. “He was a complete role model in terms of the way he lived his life. And he had a lot of respect and still does within the community in terms of the choices he's made.”
Apish’s journey is a perfect illustration of the Laureus mission. He provides the programme with its superpower – an authentic connection to and understanding of its community. And that is what sets Laureus Sport for Good apart – our global network supercharges programmes which empower their communities from within.
“Apish is more like a brother,” says Bulelani, now a senior coach at Waves for Change. “I met him when I was 10 years old and he taught me many things, like how I can be a role model in the community.”
Today Apish liaises with the schools, social workers, hospitals and mental health professionals who provide the referrals for the young people coming into Waves for Change. Conibear says many of these children can find in this sport and this programme some of the same ‘pull’ factors that can lure them into gang culture. “They are seeking risk, a sense of belonging and they want to distinguish themselves from their peers,” he says.
In the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, they find exactly what they are looking for, along with coping strategies for their ongoing issues away from the water, such as five-finger breathing, a technique they can use anywhere to ground them in the moment and reduce tension and anxiety. And at the centre of this remarkable organisation is Apish, who understands completely what these kids are going through – because not so long ago, he was just like them.
“The water wakes you up,” he says. “It brings you to your senses. It also helps you to be present. You get to the ocean and, just for a moment, you focus on what you are doing and forget about what's happening in your world. When you get out of the water, it's a different story. You change your perception a bit, the feeling is different, the energy. Once you spend time in the water, it cleans you.”
In the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, they find exactly what they are looking for, along with coping strategies for their ongoing issues away from the water, such as five-finger breathing, a technique they can use anywhere to ground them in the moment and reduce tension and anxiety. And at the centre of this remarkable organisation is Apish, who understands completely what these kids are going through – because not so long ago, he was just like them.
“The water wakes you up,” he says. “It brings you to your senses. It also helps you to be present. You get to the ocean and, just for a moment, you focus on what you are doing and forget about what's happening in your world. When you get out of the water, it's a different story. You change your perception a bit, the feeling is different, the energy. Once you spend time in the water, it cleans you.”
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Apish’s journey is a perfect example of one of the key principles of Laureus Sport for Good. Our programmes empower the communities in which we work to harness the power of sport. We’re far more than a funder: the Laureus network shares expertise and best practices to grow programmes that enable those communities to help themselves.
He has interacted with and influenced the lives of thousands of young people – but what would he say if he encountered the teenage Apish who first walked into the water: a young man who was isolated and alone, and for whom the ocean was as alien as the idea that he might one day lead a groundbreaking Sport for Good programme?
“I would say it always seems impossible until it's done. Those are Nelson Mandela's words. You doubt yourself and you think nothing can work for you until you try. Only then do you know that it is possible. I would encourage young Apish to be humble, to be resilient, and to never give.”
Since 2011, Laureus has donated over €1million to Waves for Change, which has impacted over 10,000 young people. From 2024, the programme has been funded by the Sport for Education and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (SESLA) fund, launched by Laureus, Olympism 365 and Agence Française de Développement last year.
Laureus World Sports Academy Member Bryan Habana visited Waves for Change in 2021. He said: “Nelson Mandela challenged Laureus Sport for Good to use the power of sport to change the world. Just 30 miles from Robben Island, Apish is living proof of that vision, and what is possible when you never give up. He has made a real and lasting difference to his community and Waves for Change is the perfect example of a programme that empowers the young people who use it to become its driving force.”
He has interacted with and influenced the lives of thousands of young people – but what would he say if he encountered the teenage Apish who first walked into the water: a young man who was isolated and alone, and for whom the ocean was as alien as the idea that he might one day lead a groundbreaking Sport for Good programme?
“I would say it always seems impossible until it's done. Those are Nelson Mandela's words. You doubt yourself and you think nothing can work for you until you try. Only then do you know that it is possible. I would encourage young Apish to be humble, to be resilient, and to never give.”
Since 2011, Laureus has donated over €1million to Waves for Change, which has impacted over 10,000 young people. From 2024, the programme has been funded by the Sport for Education and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (SESLA) fund, launched by Laureus, Olympism 365 and Agence Française de Développement last year.
Laureus World Sports Academy Member Bryan Habana visited Waves for Change in 2021. He said: “Nelson Mandela challenged Laureus Sport for Good to use the power of sport to change the world. Just 30 miles from Robben Island, Apish is living proof of that vision, and what is possible when you never give up. He has made a real and lasting difference to his community and Waves for Change is the perfect example of a programme that empowers the young people who use it to become its driving force.”
