‘A Training Ground for Leadership’: Mmamoagi Kungoane on GIS Elite Athlete Scholarship

The ability to excel at one sport is something that only a select few can do. But to do so in multiple sports is even more rare.

Joining GIS as a UG Elite Athlete Scholar, Mmamoagi Kungoane has already completed her first week and is one of those few.

A call up to South Africa’s Senior Women’s Training Squad in 2019 in field hockey, Mmamoagi has now swapped her stick for a racket, pursuing a career in tennis.

Enrolling on our BA Sports Management programme, she has a knack for balancing sport and study, having already completed an undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture back in South Africa.

“After completing my undergraduate degree,” Mmamoagi told GIS, “I took time out to rediscover myself.

“That gap year extended into two, and during it, tennis became more than just a passion – it became my new pursuit.”

“I didn’t just want to play sport, I wanted to understand it.” 

A valued addition to our scholarship intake, students on Mmamoagi’s scholarship can receive up to a 50% discount on their tuition fees, as well as mentorship from a sports industry leader.

In 2022, the 25-year-old moved to France to join the All In Tennis Academy, providing her with the facilities and coaching needed to maximise her potential.

This decision came at the end of a long journey where Mmamoagi hadn’t yet decided which sport to pursue, having not only played hockey and tennis, but also football, cricket and water polo.

This made it hard to juggle academics and sport, though she now says: “I feel more ready, more mature, and more confident in my ability to handle both sides of my identity: athlete and student.”

Mmamoagi went on to explain why she felt GIS was the right next step towards a career in sport, whether it be on or off the court. 

“GIS stood out immediately.

“From the webinars on women in sport, media, tech, and entrepreneurship, to the calibre of alumni and staff, GIS showed me that this was a space where sport and innovation intersect.

“The online format offered flexibility to train and study, while the real value for me was networking – being in conversation with powerful individuals, industry leaders, and peers who could one day become collaborators.”

Mmamoagi went on to say that “I see GIS as a launchpad for my second self – an athlete, entrepreneur, and future leader in sport.”

With an overall goal of championing multi-sport engagement and amplifying women’s sport, her inspiring drive is what all athletes need to succeed.

If you share Mmamoagi’s passion for sport, as an athlete or otherwise, GIS is a great place to start your journey towards a career in the exciting sports industry, with the aspiring tennis professional concluding:

“At GIS, I’ve already experienced how mentors guide me on packaging, prioritising, and presenting ideas in a way that’s impactful. GIS isn’t just an education – it’s a training ground for leadership.”

Article by Zakaria Anani