About us
We believe in the power of sports to transform lives
Embracing diversity on and off the basketball court
The GBT Mongoose is a dynamic wheelchair team located at Gelukspan, 55 km from the North West provincial capital, Mafikeng. The club participates at provincial, inter-provincial, and National levels and with selected players internationally in leagues and tournaments.
Annually, the club qualifies to participate in the highest league in South Africa, the prestigious Super Sports Wheelchair Basketball League, with its Franchise Team ‘Mongoose’ in the men’s division and the Supabets Women’s Basketball League.
Through the participation in wheelchair basketball young persons with mobility disability get the opportunity to practice a fast and challenging team sport. Wheelchair basketball requires skill, tempo and versatility as well as team abilities. It works with a classification point system which ensures that players of different abilities and challenges are present on the court within each team. Players have to learn to play to their strengths and accommodate or compensate one’s and fellow player’s weaknesses – in harmony with one another, playing as a team. To achieve higher performance levels discipline, hard work, independence and a humble mind eager to learn are needed. As a team sport basketball also teaches life skills which are valuable for the world outside the sport, for example in study and work contexts. The sport exposes players to different cultural and social contexts, languages and environments, making it formative for developing important character traits and behaviours for coping in society. Through abiding to healthy life style principles and drug free sport codes. those who develop their talent to the highest level stand the chance to be selected into Provincial and National teams and travel the world, even on a personal engagement level.
Our History
GBT Mongoose Basketball started in 1997 with a Junior Team consisting of learners from the nearby Tlamelang Special School and local adults with physical disabilities to form the first group of players.
From its inception, the team had great passion and soon climbed up the ladder winning junior cups in boys and girls divisions (e.g., double Gold National Junior Championship 2004) claiming also their spot in the provincial league.
Due to changing leadership in the school and operational issues, the joint training of senior players and school-based players became more difficult around 2008. The GBT, therefore, handed the responsibility of Junior Wheelchair Basketball to the school which gave birth to the school-based Tlamelang Club in 2009. Meanwhile, the GBT recruited more adult players and also absorbed learners who finished their schooling at Tlamelang for the senior division.
A new phase began, with the GBT becoming a force to reckon with in the Central League Conference.
As the years went by the team grew and qualified for the esteemed televised SuperSport Wheelchair Basketball Series for the first time in 2011.
Here again, cooperation between the senior club and the school team became possible. This was giving young talent exposure at the highest league level of South African Wheelchair Basketball through GBT Mongoose.
Founder & Coordinator
Undine Rauter holds the management and financial portfolio of the club. She has been one of the two co-founder of the club and is coordinating the portfolios of the club.
I want to see the club developing into a great and professional asset for the rural communities around Gelukspan and athletes with physical challenges. My dream is to integrate community projects into our programs, so that more people can benefit from the positive impact this sport has.
Our Values
Embracing diversity on and off the basketball court
Compassion & Kindness
The person comes first in our team. We seek to accompany one another not only in the sports but also provide support and guidance for facing life’s challenges
Passionate coaching
Coaching on and beyond the court enhances personal and team development and helps shape personalities to embrace diversity and integrate with one another.
Creativity
Wheelchair Basketball needs thinking and acting out of the box. We appreciate suggestions of our players and volunteers to improve ourselves as persons and the entire club.
Athlete Health & Drug Free Sports
Our Club subscribes to the WADA code of drug free sport. We regularly engage in athlete health talks and encourage testing of our athletes. An athlete has to be real and have a positive relationship to themselves (body, mind and soul). This means taking good care of one’s health and abiding to drug free sport principles
Fair Play
We want to earn our achievements in an honest way and respect our opponents the same way we wish them to respect us. Fair play means abiding by the rules of the game and sport ethics in general
Team Spirit
We win and lose as a team. Team values are promoted and practiced in the day to day decisions of contributing to the team’s success through doing chores, helping one another and sacrificing personal gain for the greater good of the team
Hard Work
To achieve higher performance levels discipline and hard work on individual and team level are necessary. Those who are ambitious will be supported on their journey to excellence.
Vision
Mission
MEET THE TEAM
BEHIND THE SCENES
Guiding champions with passion and expertise.
Club Management
Club Chairperson
Vostile has been a leader on the court for many years and stepped up to take up the position of the chair person since 3 years. He was recently confirmed for the next office period. As a sales executive in the IT business, he possesses qualities which are important to guide the club. Under his leadership the club slowly grows and shapes up. His vision is to create and attractive, professional outlook of the club with appropriate performance levels for various players from development to semi-professional athletes.
Cofounder and Treasurer
Undine Rauter holds the management and financial portfolio of the club. She has been one of the two co-founder of the club and is coordinating the portfolios of the club. “I want to see the club developing into a great and professional asset for the rural communities around Gelukspan and athletes with physical challenges. My dream is to integrate community projects into our programs, so that more people can benefit from the positive impact this sport has.”
Secretary
Onthusitse Monametsi is the organization’s secretary. As a senior player he also represents players in the committee. Through many years experience he saw it important to contribute to his club by taking a position in the management committee. He also represents the club in the North West Wheelchair Basketball Structure as the current chairperson of the North West Province.
Committe Member
Gathel Moyo is a father of 4 and the founder of Ambassadors4Change, an organization that promotes the protection of vulnerable persons and advocates for social change through skill enrichment initiatives. He says: I see community activism as a way of life. Being in a position to impact the next person for the better and create a better tomorrow is important to me. I want to contribute my experience for the administration and leaders of the GBT Mongoose Club through its board. Inclusiveness is one important aspect of needed change in society and by being a member of the management committee I want to do my part.
PR Manager
Sifiso Makhoba holds a dual portfolio in the committee. He contributes his expertise in Public relations and also represents the coaching department of the club. His networking abilities in the commercial space are an important asset for the management committee.
Our Coaches & Managers
Coach
Coach Tolamoetlile is a farmer and father of 3 with a passion for basketball in it’s various expressions: University ballers, street ball and most recently wheelchair basketball, which opened up new perspectives of inclusive sports. He coaches the Mighty Eagles NW and holds a level 2 coaching license in able bodied basketball and a level 1 license in wheelchair basketball. He says: I’m a firm believer in: when I learn I teach…I’m an activist, researcher and mentor. My vision for 2024: 1 heart – 1 beat….we focus on unity and united achievements of our goals.
Coach
Before being a coach Makhoba was a basketball player. In 2011 he started as a high school player, later moving to club basketball playing for New Dragons, Egoli Magic, continuing at Varsity and community levels. When starting his professional life coach Makhoba ventured into coaching obtaining a level 1 coaching lisence. He conducted coaching clinics in local communities and also started coaching wheelchair basketball recently (2022) at school level. After obtaining his WBSA level 1 coaching license for wheelchair basketball he coached the respective Mongoose teams at JKS, TDBC and Super Sport Level.
Coach
Linda is a senior player who joined the club in 2005. As a National Women’s Team player she accumulated a lot of experience on the court. in 2023 she obtained her level 1 coaching licence and makes first experiences with coaching as a player coach for the ladies’ team on the PCCL level.
Coach
Vostile is one of the most senior players in the club and has pursued a coaching career. Presently he holds a level 1 licence for wheelchair basketball and coaches the B-team at PCCL level and in the Jomo Khumalo Shield Competition. He says: “I want to see our development players grow, understand the game better and take responsibility on and off the court”
Table Official and Manager
Meet Lesego, a Social Scientist with over 10 years experience. Lesego is passionate about working for communities, her biggest flex is her interaction with the Youth and children. Advocating for the voiceless, empowering our leaders of tomorrow. A gym fanatic, an artist at heart.
Our Medical Staff
Club Doctor
Dr Amelia Thambe, a mother of two boys, has joined the GBT Mongoose way back in 2015. Professional commitments kept her busy for a while. Today she is a qualified specialist (Paediatrician) working in Baragwanath Hospital and in the disability field. She wants to serve the team with her medical expertise and advise. Dr Thambe says: My motto in life is: ” There is nothing we can not achieve if we set our mind to it. I want to see the team aim for the stars and work towards those goals!”
Our Affiliates and Parnters
Wheelchair Basketball South Africa
Wheelchair Basketball North West
North West University
Koinonia
Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality
What Our ATHELETES say
More than just a
Basketball Team
A dynamic bunch of hard-core ballers worth to be supported