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BUMPER ISSUE 12, DECEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2015

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Cover FeatureS MAIN STORY Demetri Catrakilis “Fly”-ing High

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos by Gallo Images

Golf Kaleigh Telfer LESSONS LEARNED Words: Karien Jonckheere / Kaleigh Telfer | Photos: Provided

Karien Jonckheere Journalist

Cathy Telfer Getting the Balance Right: A parent’s Perspective Words: Cathy Telfer | Photos: Provided

Coaching Paddy Upton Taking Coaching to “the next level” Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Paddy Upton

Sharks medical Anabolic Steriod usage in Schools Words: Dr Glen Hagemann - MD and Sports Physician of Sharks Medical (Pty) Ltd | Photos: Provided

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FOCUS: HPC & TuksSport Swimming Cameron Van Der Burgh There is no Stopping him

Marc Fourie

Sport perfomance

Peter Norval, Piet Norval & Debbie Norval

hpc Nike nurturing young athletics talent

Shawn Belluigi

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos Backpage Media

Neil Greigg

school School

Peter Norval, Piet Norval & Debbie Norval

Hettie de Villiers “It’s a dream come true.”

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BACK PAGE MEDIA

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anabolic steroid use

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

GALLO IMAGES

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ColumnS

PHILNA VAN VEIJEREN Journalist (Junior)

Dr Glen Hagemann

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Parenting

BENCH (CONTRIBUTORS) wilhelm de swardt Journalist

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Words: Philna Van Veijeren | Photos Provided

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The ultimate online sports magazine

online sports magazine I ssue 1 2 , De cem b e r 2 01 4 / J a n uary 2 014

Sporting Features

rugby

Swimming

gerhard swarts ‘Clear eyes, full heart can’t lose’

Chad le Clos AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME & CRUISING Myles Brown The Golden Myle Tara Nicholas In training for Olypmics 2016 Dayne Odendaal swifter, bett er, faster …

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Soccer Castle Lager Soccer Academy Finding Bafana’s Future Stars

Jono Wing and Stuart Hogg Paracanoeing’s bright future comes to the fore

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Cricket Arjun Tendulkar A chip off the old block Kyle Scheepers a player to watch Zubayr Hamza Doubleton Hamza batting up a storm

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Netball kovsies Netball Champs celebrate Varsity Cup Triumph

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Cycling die Hoërskool Menlopark’s Cycling team is Absolut-ely Fabulous!

Louis Meintjies The making of a hero

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Judo Peter Norval SA Open Judo Champ is giving 100%

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Soccer Holy Trinity High School Wins a ‘cool million’

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canoeing Louis Hattingh & Jean van der Westhuizen KZN duo take k2 title

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paracanoeing

Mountain biking Marc Fourie is moving and shaking!

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Feature: Rugby

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

The late Doc Danie Craven believed that a Jew or a policeman in a Springbok rugby team brought good luck to the team.

Fly-ing

Feature: Rugby

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

High Nowadays this seems to have changed.

After what has happened in the 2012 and 2014 Currie Cup competitions, rugby officials in the Western Province will have amended that opinion to it being essential to have a Greek Cypriot in your team.

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Demetri Catrakilis “Fly”-ing High

In 2012 Demetri Catrakilis produced a magical all-round performance to help WP to win their first Currie Cup title in 11 years. During the 2014 Currie Cup final Catrakilis again played a major role in Province’s 19-16 victory over the Lions.

Unfortunately WP lost to the Sharks (33-19) in the 2013 final at Newlands, but being able to win two finals out of three can be regarded as an excellent performance in any team’s books. Selecting at least one Greek rugby player in a Currie Cup team seems to be highly commendable.

Although Catrakilis is quick to point out that he is a proud South African, he cannot help being equally proud of the fact that he is most likely the only player with a Greek Cypriot heritage who currently plays senior provincial rugby in South Africa.”

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“There are many Greek rugby players at school but they get lost to the sport mainly because the selectors do not always take them seriously. I hope I have managed to change the perception people have about Greek rugby players. It is definitely a great honour for me to represent one of the smaller ethnic groups in the country on the rugby field.”

Rugby was not always Catrakilis’s favourite sport.

When he attended the Saheti School in Bedfordview he played both soccer and cricket enthusiastically and also excelled in athletics.

“My first love used to be soccer and I only started to play rugby in high school at St Johns College,” Catrakilis said.

“I thought I wanted to make a career out of the round ball game and until Grade 11 I played at club level. At the age of 17 I spent a year with Moroka Swallows, but when I was in matric I became more enthusiastic about rugby and gave up soccer.”

Feature: Rugby

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

His dad, George, always encouraged him to play rugby.

“My dad is a true rugby fanatic and rugby was always his first love as a sport.

He went to CBC in Boksburg and started to play for the first team when he was in standard eight. He claims that he was known as ‘the legend’ while he was at CBC Boksburg. He played in the centre or wing position and went on to play club rugby after school.

“Nowadays he is my staunchest supporter. I think my Dad attended almost every single game I ever played, including soccer and cricket.

“I get the idea that he has no favourite team other than ‘Team Demetri’. Now that I play for WP he is a staunch Province supporter but when I played for the Southern Kings he supported them. Whenever my Mom gets an opportunity she also loves to watch me play”.

“The most important lesson I have learned from my parents is to always remain humble and keep my feet firmly on the ground. They have always encouraged me and my brothers, Nicholas and Andoni, to make the most of our talents but, more importantly, to enjoy ourselves. It is also important for my parents that we treat people with respect.”

When asked whether he was a good student at school, Catrakilis laughs before answering.

“I don’t want to rate myself as a serious student, but I also don’t want to underrate my abilities. I would say I was an ‘OK’ student.

I was not an A-student or even a B-student, but middle-of- theroad.”

Did you have any role models?

“When I was a youngster and still learning about life I considered my Dad and my older brother, Nicholas, who

guided me through life, as my role models. As far as inspiration is concerned, my father George has had the major influence on my career.

and, later the same season, he was instrumental in winning the Currie Cup for them; and in 2014 he again helped province to win the Currie Cup.

“When it comes to rugby my role model has to be Jonny Wilkinson (England). He was a phenomenal fly-half. I most love tackling and Jonny was a brilliant defender.”

Catrakilis is considered to be a good distributor, a fine tactical kicker, and one of the most accurate goal kickers in South Africa at the moment. He also possesses the most underrated of skills, namely the ability to kick drop goals with either foot.

Catrakilis considers the role he played in winning four trophies as the highlights of his senior rugby career. In 2011 he played for the UCT team that won the Varsity Cup; in 2012 he helped WP to win the Vodacom Cup

Catrakilis considers goal kicking to be a ‘separate game’ within the game of rugby.

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ATHLETE NAME ARTICLE TITLE HEADING HERE

“My most memorable goal kicking attempt was my first in the 2012 final. It was probably 40 metres away. The moment my boot connected the ball I knew that it was going over and that was a very big deal for me, because it was in a final and there was a lot of pressure

on me to perform. Since then, whenever I feel insecure about my kicking abilities, I try to remember that kick because it helps me to calm down.”

Like every other rugby player Catrakilis also has aspirations to play, maybe one day, for the

“I am not obsessed with playing for the Springboks. I realize that whether or not I am selected to play for the Boks depends on someone else’s opinion of my game. Because I have no control over it, all I can do is to go on playing to the best of my ability.”

SIDEBAR How do you relax?

I try to go to one of Cape Town’s fantastic beaches as often as I can. It is the ideal way to get away from everything and to really relax.

What kind of music do you listen to?

I used to be into Hiphop and R&B Music, but nowadays I listen to everything.

Do you like reading?

I love it. I mostly read biographies.

What do you want to do once your rugby career has come to an end?

I definitely want to try to continue playing for another ten years. Actually I have not really given any serious thought to what I will do afterwards, but I do have one or two rough ideas.

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Springboks. Last year he was selected for the Springboks training camp for the June Quadrangular Test series featuring Italy, Scotland and Samoa, but unfortunately nothing came of it.

Feature: GOLF

Words: Karien Jonckheere / Kaleigh Telfer | Photos: Provided

LESSONS LEARNED Kaleigh Telfer St Peters

While it may not be the most important in sporting terms, doing her own laundry was just one of the many lessons learned

by Kaleigh Telfer in her “once in a lifetime� experience at the recent Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

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Kaleigh telfer Lessons learned

“I had my Mom in stitches when I asked her if I needed to separate the whites from the colours in the tumble drier too,” recalled the 16-year-old golfer with a giggle.

But far more important than any domestic chores, was a realisation that there is still plenty of work ahead, if she wants to compete with the best at international level.

Telfer was one of just two golfers selected to represent South Africa at the second Youth Olympic Games. And while she suffered the crushing disappointment of being disqualified from the individual event (for signing for the wrong score), the St Peter’s student bounced back to claim a top 20 spot with compatriot Kyle McClatchie in the mixed team event.

“It was a very good experience – just to see where I lie in the rankings. It’s so competitive. It’s amazing to see how good their golf is compared to South African golf,” admitted Telfer afterwards.

“It’s a different level but just to represent South Africa was a privilege.”

With golf being included in the senior Olympic programme in Rio in 2016, this was the first time that any South Africans have represented the country at Youth Olympic level.

“I was extremely honoured and proud to make history by being the first young South African woman to represent my country in this sport,” said Telfer, who also plays hockey and soccer and captained the Gauteng girls’ under 13 cricket side.

“The Olympic spirit was amazing in Nanjing. From the moment we stepped off the aeroplane we felt the vibe. There were banners and posters and billboards everywhere.”

“There were also tons of cultural activities which took place at the village that we could participate in when we wanted. It was great fun. We were also encouraged to meet as many people from other countries and were given prizes for collecting as many electronic signatures as possible.”

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Feature: golf

Words: Karien Jonckheere / Kaleigh Telfer | Photos: Provided

While she may not have come out on top on this occasion, the Olympic experience has certainly inspired the Bryanston Country Club golfer towards her ultimate aspirations.

“It would be amazing to play in the proper Olympics. That’s definitely one of my long-term goals now.”

Still only in grade 10, Telfer plans to give up soccer and hockey, which she says interferes with her golf swing, to focus on golf and her schoolwork for the next two years, before taking off a further two years to focus solely on the sport and trying to make it in the professional ranks.

Competing internationally is not foreign to Telfer, who had already represented the country in Scotland and the USA by the age of nine. But so far, the Youth Olympic experience has certainly been the highlight.

“Representing South Africa at the Olympics and wearing the five rings – it was amazing. I don’t even have words to describe it.

“But what I learned is that our standard of golf is not as high as everyone else’s and I think I need to work a lot harder on my game to get to the top.”

Recent top results for Kaleigh Telfer Winner of Gauteng Junior Championships – September 2014 Runner up at Boland Championships – September 2014 Third at Limpopo Championships – June 2014 Third at Ekurhuleni Women’s Golf Junior Open Championship – June 2014 Runner up at KwaZulu-Natal Championships – March 2014 Winner of Curro SA World Juniors International – March 2014 Third at Gauteng North Junior Girls Championship 2014 – February 2014 Third at Eastern Province Championship – February 2014 Winner of KZN Junior Championships – November 2013 Winner of Mpumalanga Championship – November 2013

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Kaleigh telfer Lessons learned

Q & A with Kaleigh Telfer Do you ever feel demotivated about playing Golf and if yes, how do you change that and get your motivation back?

Even though I may be going through a bad patch, I am never demotivated because I always want to go back to try again and get it right.

It must be challenging getting the balance between professional sport and studying, what works for you in getting it balanced?

I am 100% focused on whatever task I am doing. In other words, when I am at school I am absolutely focused on it and pay attention in class. Because time is limited I need to plan and manage it carefully.

I cannot waste any time dawdling. I focus on the task at hand and get it done asap. My Mom also helps me with explaining work I may have missed and with assignments. I have always managed to hand in all my assignments in time, much to the amazement of some of my teachers.

If you were not pursuing a professional golfing career, what would you choose to do as a career, what inspires you?

I would pursue a career in game management and as a field guide. I love wildlife and birds and am also a keen photographer of both.

Do you have a role model in your life that inspires you?

There is no one in particular.

What do you do to relax and chill out?

I listen to music, take photographs and sleep!

What do you feel you have learned from sport that has contributed to the person you are today?

It’s taught me to never give up; to work hard; to take my commitments seriously; and to never let my team down.

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Feature: golf

Words: Karien Jonckheere / Kaleigh Telfer | Photos: Provided

Q & A with Kaleigh Telfer If you had one piece of advice for children, especially girls, playing golf competitively or who want to play golf competitively, what would it be?

Start young, the younger the better, as it’s easier to learn when you are little.

How have your family supported you in your sporting career so far, and is there any message you would like us to include in this article specially for them.

They have supported me both financially and with their time. They always take me to my lessons, travelled with me and have watched me play in 99% of the tournaments.

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SA Kids Golf Moulding Young Golfers

SA Kids Golf exposes South African Kids to regular golf tournaments in a fun and competitive environment and promotes kids golf at a level of competitiveness by creating opportunities and awareness of the rules, integrity and etiquette of golf, and enabling them to compete internationally.

This is a fantastic non-profit organisation which runs monthly tournaments for children between the ages of 5 and 14 years at golf courses around Gauteng and, more recently, in KZN, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. These tournaments take the knowledge that the children have learnt in their lessons on the driving range and put them into practise on the course.

Over and above this, it teaches children the very important etiquette of golf. Learning about tournaments, how to handle winning and of course losing. Tournament golf also teaches children life lessons such as patience, obeying the rules and respecting ones fellow players. It is a significant learning curve but, with the help of a parent by their side as caddy, these children get all the support they need.

SA Kids Golf builds a wonderful relationship between a parent and their child. It’s most often the Dads who enjoy this precious time with their child, away from the distractions of everyday working life.

SA Kids Golf has the rights to qualify South African children to compete in a number of top international golfing tournaments in Scotland, America and Malaysia. Last year the organisation sent almost 100 kids between the ages of 5 and 18 to compete on the international stage, against the best in the world.

SA Kids Golf PO Box 870 Rooihuiskraal Centurion 0154

www.sakidsgolf.co.za

Admin Office: 082 255 4433 Fax: 086 451 0285 info@sakidsgolf.co.za

Parenting Feature: Golf

Words: Cathy Telfer | Photos: Provided

Getting the Balance Right A Parent’s Perspective: from Cathy Telfer in her parenting journey with Kaleigh Telfer Kaleigh’s favourite golf quote is by Bobby Jones, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots and good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.”

This sums up our journey of golf with Kaleigh….

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Cathy Telfer Getting the Balance Right: A parent’s Perspective

Kaleigh has virtually been attached to a ball since ever she could walk! At home, she never just walked from room to room, but was always dribbling a soccer ball at her feet or throwing a cricket ball in the air. From the tender age of three years we realised that she had a natural sporting ability and an impressive hand to eye coordination. She was never one to play with dolls, and, as a serious tomboy wore her last dress at the age of two. All her friends were boys so it was natural for her to play all the boys sports.

Although my husband, Warren, and I were not top sports people by any stretch of the imagination, we had both competed in sport throughout our school years and beyond. I had had a very academic upbringing, where sports was low on the list of priorities. The only sport we ever watched on television was once a year, Wimbledon! Perhaps if this had been different I may have excelled in one sport or another.

camps which are run from the Momentum World of Golf in Woodmead, Johannesburg. It was at these holiday camps and at their 10 week junior programmes that her talent was first noticed at the age of seven. It was here that she won her first golfing trophies as “Future Player” and “Most Determined Little Player”. Was this the first sign of things to come?

The next step in Kaleigh’s golf journey was joining an organisation called Little Kids Golf, since renamed SA Kids Golf. This is a fantastic non-profit organisation which runs monthly tournaments for children between the ages of 5 and 14 years at golf courses around Gauteng and, more recently in KZN, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. These tournaments take the knowledge that the children have learnt in their lessons on the driving range and put them into practice on the course.

Warren’s upbringing was completely different, sport was the top priority. This not only included school sport, but also watching provincial, national and international sports. Everything from rugby to cricket to motor racing. And along with it came “winning”. Winning wasn’t everything, it was the only thing…!

When Kaleigh started primary school at Kyalami Preparatory, she was so excited to play all the sports on offer. This included an extra mural activity called “Qolf”.

Qolf was a franchised activity to teach children the very basics of golf at a young age. It included teaching them the basics of grip, stance and swing, with the aim of getting a golf ball to land in a hoola hoop. This was the very beginning of our golfing journey.

From this humble beginning we enrolled Kaleigh in the Gary Player Golf Experience (GPGE) holiday

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It also teaches children: 1. The very important etiquette of golf; 2. Learning how to handle winning and losing.

3. Tournament golf also teaches children life lessons such as patience, obeying the rules and respecting one’s fellow players. It is a significant learning curve but, with the help of a parent by their side as caddy, these children get all the support they need.

4. SA Kids Golf builds a wonderful relationship between a parent and their child. It’s most often the Dads who enjoy this precious time with their child, away from the distractions of everyday working life.

Parenting Feature: Golf

Words: Cathy Telfer | Photos: Provided

“As a mother, my heart was filled with such immense pride.”

Kaleigh Telfer with golfing great Nick Price It was with SA Kids Golf that Kaleigh first realised how much she enjoyed playing competitive golf. She walked away with many winning trophies over the years that she participated in these tournaments.

One of the greatest opportunities that SA Kids Golf provided Kaleigh with was the ability to compete internationally from a very young age. Traveling overseas and competing internationally gives children a new perspective on their golfing ability. They are able to measure themselves against the world’s best players of a similar age and understand what they need to do to become more competitive. They also work through the nerves of playing on a big stage. This has stood Kaleigh in great stead for competing in high profile events such as the Youth Olympics.

As a parent it is interesting to see how committed the international children are towards their golf

and how fanatical their parents are. A large percentage of the American children are home schooled to enable them sufficient time for their golf. Even at this early age these children have selected golf as their only sport. In comparison, the large majority of our South African children go to conventional schools and play a multitude of different school sports, at least until the age of about sixteen.

So it is amazing to observe how well our South African children do in the international arena. I personally believe that the cross training and all round muscle strength developed through multidisciplinary sport is a great contributor to their success. More specifically to Kaleigh, we noticed a significant difference in her strength, muscle tone and length of her drives when she took up waterpolo as a high school sport.

As children grow their physical maturity develops long before

their emotional maturity. A twelve year old girl in Grade 7 is physically a woman, but emotionally still a little girl. This was the most trying time for us as a family in Kaleigh’s golfing journey. It was difficult for her to handle having a bad round of golf. She used to huff and puff and stomp around the course after hitting a bad shot in a competition. And of course, in golf, when you get angry your game deteriorates even more.

As a parent this behaviour was often unacceptable. There were many times that I thought she should give up the sport for good as it seemed to bring her more heartache than pleasure. Thank goodness she never listened to me as it was simply a maturity issue that passed naturally with time.

It was about this time that we gave Kaleigh the opportunity to choose how much effort she wanted to put into her golf.

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Cathy Telfer Getting the Balance Right: A parent’s Perspective

We needed to know how she was committed to the sport before taking the next step and entering the Women’s Golf South Africa (WGSA) amateur circuit. This circuit comprises approximately ten junior and 20 ladies provincial and national tournaments during a calendar year. This equates to between two and three tournaments every month, often taking place during the week. Using the results of these tournaments, WGSA generates a national junior and ladies ranking system. WGSA also selects the best players to compete internationally at their expense.

There is a fine balance to be achieved as parents in ensuring your child realises their full potential. Children need to be pushed, but not so much that they rebel as teenagers and throw in the towel. You need to make sure that they are given the best grounding in the sport, that they compete regularly to measure their progress, and also that they are correctly positioned to be noticed as having talent and significant potential. No six year old would say, “Mommy, I want to have a golf lesson twice a week”! They might say, however, “Mommy I want to win one of those really big shiny trophies.”

It is our duty as a parent to provide our children with the tools to achieve their goals.

This goes further, as the child may not be fully aware of the talent or potential they have.

So a parent is the only person who can take this ability and knowledge in hand, and put in the time and effort needed to realise this potential. This, of course, must not be done to the detriment of the child. Every child has the right to happiness and a childhood. Very few people will achieve top results if they hate what they are doing.

It’s all about balance, I believe,

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“It was important for us as parents to select a school that would understand and work around her golfing commitments.”

but this is often elusive when the demands on these children are so huge.

When Kaleigh started high school at St. Peter’s College in Sunninghill, Johannesburg, she decided that she wanted to give her golf a real go, provided that she could also participate in all the other high school sports on offer. We agreed, knowing how imperative it was for her to cross train and also how important it was for her to gain recognition for her fantastic sporting ability in a high school environment.

It was important for us as parents to select a school that would understand and work around her golfing commitments. We met with the school often to discuss her situation and provided them a full calendar of tournaments at the beginning of each year.

Kaleigh misses about three months of school in a typical year. St Peters College came to the party and even provided her

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

with a 25% scholarship and rescheduled exams for her when necessary. Kaleigh also played her part and always tirelessly caught up her work timeously and handed in all assignments on the deadline date.

So in January 2012 Kaleigh entered into the next stage of her golfing journey. The first year was really tough for her, getting used to high school and competing in a large number of countrywide tournaments. Kaleigh realised what she needed to do compete,

Parenting Feature: Golf

Words: Cathy Telfer | Photos: Provided

and, by the beginning of 2013 set her goals to really make an impact.

Taking on the amateur circuit was also a big commitment for us as parents, both financially and time wise.

“Children need to be pushed, but not so much that they rebel as teenagers and throw in the towel.”

Playing three tournaments a month resulted in a significant amount of travel costs including airfares, hired cars, hotels and living expenses, for both Kaleigh and at least one parent, as a 14 year old cannot travel alone.

We estimated the total cost for Kaleigh’s golf, including equipment, lessons, competition fees, club fees, clothing, local travel and a single overseas competition to be approximately R200,000 per year.

Not only was Kaleigh away from school but one of us need to be away from work. Unfortunately my work commitments do not allow for this number of days leave. Warren is fortunate enough to have his own business and was therefore able to provide Kaleigh with all the time she needed.

We also made a huge sacrifice as a family. In the past we had always ensured that we spent quality time together every weekend, usually at our mobile home on a local dam. Now we could only spend one weekend a month together as a family. And then Kaleigh was usually working hard to catch up on the school she’d missed or studying for her weekly exam. One cannot underestimate the level of stress that Kaleigh was under, not only to achieve on the golf course but also to maintain her academic grades.

2013 was a fantastic year for Kaleigh, she soared up the ranks with four junior 1st places in ladies events and Top 5 junior places in another four events. She became the only person in the 60 year history of Bryanston Country Club to win both the Ladies and

Junior Club Championships in the same year. As the year came to a close Kaleigh got her first full title wins with the Mpumalanga Ladies Championship and the KwaZulu Natal Junior Championships. The latter she competed in under difficult circumstances, having ripped off her entire big toe nail the day before the tournament started! These wins gave her immense confidence in knowing that she could really compete at this level.

It was at the end of 2013, when Kaleigh was finishing Grade 9, that she was approached by the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation (EEFF). The EEFF supports high school children from Grade 10 to matric in their golfing endeavours.

The aim of the organisation is “to identify talented young South Africans predominantly from families of limited resources and provide them with educational

and life-skill assistance and playing opportunities in order to produce successful, well rounded and educated young golfers”. Evidently they had been watching Kaleigh for a number of years to assess whether she met the criteria required by the foundation. Kaleigh was one of only two girls who are currently members of the foundation.

This was a huge honour for both Kaleigh and us as parents. This was effectively independent recognition for her golfing achievements.

The EEFF has provided Kaleigh with huge support including contributions to her school fees and golfing lessons. All her local travel, competition fees, equipment, clothing and club membership fees are also covered.

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Cathy Telfer Getting the Balance Right: A parent’s Perspective

Kaleigh’s 2014 year started with a bang with her first international win at the Curro SA World Juniors in March. This was followed by a 5th place in the Sanlam SA Amateur Strokeplay Championship, South Africa’s premier amateur ladies golf tournament.

In May, Kaleigh moved from ladies golf clubs to men’s iron shafts.

This was accompanied by a dip in form, not necessarily due to the club change we must admit.

She was battling out there on the course, what had come so easily before was now that much more difficult. Her handicap dropped from scratch to three, and top five results became a little more elusive to achieve. As a mother, I take my hat off to Kaleigh…. her chin never dropped and she became more determined than ever before. The determination paid off and in September she won the Gauteng Junior Championships.

Although golf has brought Kaleigh and our family many happy and proud moments it has also brought times of absolute despair. Nothing could have been worse for us than when Kaleigh has been disqualified for signing the wrong score on her scorecard. For the nongolfers reading this, it is a player’s responsibility to check that the scores their marker has recorded on their official scorecard are correct. Even if a player has the correct scores recorded on their own card, if they sign the markers card with the incorrect score they are disqualified. This has unfortunately happened to Kaleigh twice in international tournaments. Although her own card was correct, she failed to check the marker’s numbers and didn’t spot the error.

This is the greatest disaster a golfer can experience in a competition. Kaleigh was absolutely devastated when this happened and believed that she

20

“Kaleigh’s primary motivation since early childhood has been competition and the drive to win.” had failed not only her country but also WGSA and us. To put this into perspective, the worst that can happen to most teenagers is that their boyfriend has broken up with them or perhaps they’ve failed an exam. This is not the case for the youngsters who compete at these very high levels.

I feel such admiration and pride

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

watching Kaleigh put herself back together again and go out on the course more determined than ever. I’m just hoping that she’s going to learn from these mistakes going forward….

Kaleigh has continued to be coached by the PGA professionals at the GPGE throughout her

Parenting Feature: Golf

give up” attitude. She would keep trying and trying until she perfected whatever skill she was attempting to master.

given Kaleigh the edge over her competitors in her journey in golf, accompanied by a good dose of talent!

Kaleigh’s primary motivation since early childhood has been competition and the drive to win.

She never asked her little brother to come and play, it was always “Let’s see how many times we can catch the ball in the air”, and then she proceeded to beat him at the game she’d selected.

Another of Kaleigh’s personal characteristics is the belief and confidence that she will win.

Every time she walks out onto the course she expects to do shoot an under par round. As a mother I was really concerned about this trait, as I always thought that she was setting herself up for failure.

Having recently read a fascinating book entitled “The Gold Mine Effect” by Rasmus Ankersen, which analyses the characteristics of high performance athletes, I have realised that I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is this immense self-belief that creates the opportunity to achieve winning results.

Kaleigh recently competed in her first professional tournament at the SA Women’s Open at San Lameer, alongside our South African greats like Lee Anne Pace and Ashley Simon. As a mother, my heart was filled with such immense pride as she stood up on the first tee box as a sixteen year old in this international event and held her own amongst the professionals. On that blustery day in October 2014 I realised as Kaleigh’s mother that our golfing journey has only really just begun…

Another personality trait that emerged early on was her “never

I believe that it is essentially these three characteristics which have

journey. She has only had two coaches during this time, both of which have been hugely supportive and committed to progressing her golf through each new stage of development.

In conjunction with the lessons, the GPGE recognises that physical and mental training is also required. Although Kaleigh probably has not undertaken enough of these two aspects over the past few years, it is certainly on the radar going forward.

Kaleigh’s plans for 2015 So Kaleigh’s life is set to change quite significantly in 2015… Kaleigh has decided that she wants to pursue the dream of becoming a professional golfer. In order to do this she needs to focus fully on her golf as soon as possible.

Kaleigh has reached a pivotal point in her life and needs to make a number changes in order to realise this dream. She has committed to doing the following:• • • • • •

•

making available more time to dedicate to her golf; practising golf more than only once week; giving up sports which negatively affect her swing, e.g. hockey; giving up sports with a high risk of sport injuries; maintaining her school marks during the very difficult year of Grade 11; playing the number of tournaments on the amateur circuit required to maintain or improve her national rankings; and training specifically for golfing requirements.

In order to achieve this Kaleigh will need to change to a school which better caters for her needs.

From January 2015 Kaleigh will be attending a boutique school called Education Incorporated, located in Fourways, Johannesburg. This is a purely academic school completing the National Senior Certificate curriculum with a maximum of eight children per grade. This intensive approach to education, without the peripheral activities of mainstream schools, will provide her with the attention her school work requires and the additional time required to increase her golfing commitments. It will also remove that temptation of playing a multitude of other sports which would always be present at a conventional high school.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

21

PADDYUPTON

Paddy Upton Taking Coaching to “the next level”

Taking Coaching to

“the next level” A whole new perspective on the art of coaching Paddy Upton has successfully coached a variety of elite sports teams, business teams, as well as individuals, to take their game to even greater heights.

Some definite highlights in his career include helping two international cricket teams (South Africa and India) to achieve the number-one ranking in the world; helping India to win the Cricket World Cup (2011), and leading bottomof-the-log underdogs, Rajasthan Royals, to the final of Champions League (2013).

What makes Upton unique as a person and a coach is his passion to share his experiences and the knowledge he gained on the ‘highway of life’.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

PADDYUPTON

Feature: Cricket + Life + Coaching

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Paddy Upton

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

23

PADDYUPTON

Paddy Upton Taking Coaching to “the next level”

At the end of November, when Upton presented a cricket coaching clinic at Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool in Pretoria, Game On had the opportunity to talk to him. During our forty-minute conversation it became clear that what makes him ‘tick’, is a true passion for sports, as well as for life in general.

In the next few editions of Game On Upton will share some of his views on coaching with us.

In this edition he shares a few ideas on what changes coaches need to make if they want to be successful.

Some coaches may find his ideas quite revolutionary because they still believe that they need to be the boss whose word is law. According to Upton this approach borders on being totalitarian and he does not agree with it at all.

“One of the fundamental changes I promote, is what I call a shift in leadership. Twenty years ago the chief executive officer of a company (CEO), knew more than anybody else. Because he was the sole expert, his method of leading was to instruct people what to do. This method applied to sport as well.

“Because we now live in the age of information and technology, everyone has information at their fingertips.

“What is currently happening in leading companies is that the CEO has a whole lot of people working with him who are experts in their respective fields. This means that he is no longer the only job content expert. His role has changed to managing the available expertise, rather than being the sole provider of expertise.”

“In sport, unfortunately, the coach has remained the boss in many instances. He still instructs players what to do, how to play, what strategies to follow, etc. “ “Fundamentally this needs to change. It is a fact that a player often goes through eight to nine coaches during his playing career, which means that he outlives most coaches.“

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

PADDYUPTON

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Paddy Upton

“What needs to happen is that coaches should coach a player to be an expert of his own game. In other words, a coach should change from coaching through instruction to coaching as a collaborator and a learning partner. In doing so, the coach actually elicits knowledge and expertise from the players while he is coaching them.”

“As a coach, I truly believe in a process of engagement, inquiry, questioning and feedback because I fully realise that I will never know it all.”

How then should a coach address the mistakes his players make?

“Recent research has proven that if you want a person to improve, it is more effective to focus on what he is doing well, rather than focussing on his mistakes.”

“I encourage players and teams to practise according to their strengths, as opposed to spending time trying to fix their weaknesses.”

“My coaching philosophy is that expertise often comes from the players and not from the coach. It is a deliberate ploy of mine to show the cricket world that collectively, the players have far more intelligence than the small group of coaches.”

“The players absolutely love this approach and the challenge that comes with it. My results show that the level of enjoyment for my players, as well as their ability to learn, is significantly higher compared to that of other teams.”

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

25

PADDYUPTON

Paddy Upton Taking Coaching to “the next level”

Side Bar

Paddy Upton in a ‘nutshell’ • Worked closely with Gary Kirsten to lead the Indian Cricket Team to become the World’s No. 1 Test Team for the first time in their history, and then to win the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

• Assisted Gary Kirsten lead the South African Cricket Team (Proteas) to become the first ever team to simultaneously hold the World No. 1 ranking in all three formats of the game, which included claiming the No. 1 test ranking from India.

• Following these successes, Paddy was appointed as Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals Indian Premier League (IPL) Team, leading them from the bottom of the IPL log to 2nd place in the Champions League, within one 10-week season.

• Currently he is Head Coach of the Sydney Thunder Cricket Team in the Australian Big Bash League (BBL).

• For over a decade, Paddy has worked as an executive coach, leadership coach, workshop facilitator and keynote speaker in many leading businesses, both within South Africa and abroad, and across several different industries.

• He holds four degrees, including two master’s degrees (M.Sc. (Medical) in Sport Science and M.A. in Executive Coaching).

• He is passionate about surfing, stand-up paddling, trail running and fishing.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

PADDYUPTON

2015 Workshops with Paddy Upton How to “up your Game� as a coach!

Paddy Upton, in association, with Game On Magazine, will be hosting a series of one day workshops in 2015, for Coaches and Educators in Gauteng, Cape Town and KZN. Paddy recently presented a Coaching Workshop at Affies in Pretoria which was completely sold out within an hour of the workshop becoming available!

If you would like to attend one of his inspirational workshops next year, contact us on marketing@gameonmagazine.co.za with your details: (Name, School, Position (e.g Rugby Coach), Cell number), or go to the Game On website and submit your details via the advert on the home page. We will contact you and send you the dates for your area.

Join Paddy and acquire new skills in getting the best out of your team and students and take your coaching to a whole new level.

The ultimate online sports magazine

www.gameonmagazine.co.za

Biokinetics & Sports Science

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Swimming

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

“Been there, done that and got the T-shirt to prove it.”

Although this phrase has become rather hackneyed through overuse, it is still a good way to describe Cameron van der Burgh’s feats in swimming pools across the world.

Cameron van der Burgh There’s no Stopping Him! Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

29

Cameron Van Der Burgh There is no Stopping HIM

Since 2007 not a year has passed in which he has not won at least one medal at a World Championships, Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games, long as well as short course. At the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow he won gold, silver and bronze medals – gold in the 50m breaststroke, silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 4x100 medley relay.

I met up with Van der Burgh while he and Giulio Zorzi were training in the gym at the Tuks athletics stadium, as part of their preparation for the World Short Course Championships in December.

Having read through Van der Burgh’s achievements in the swimming pool, I couldn’t help but wonder about his ability to stay motivated. How do you psych yourself up for an event that you have already won several times?

In between lifting heavy weights the 26-year-old Van der Burgh responded –

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

“It is not true that it becomes more difficult to motivate yourself later in your career. Remember swimming is my career and I love to race. The fact that there is nothing higher to achieve does not mean that your hunger to win diminishes. The challenge for me is to see how many more races I can win before my career comes to an end.

“I am at a stage where I am beginning to realise that I am not going to swim forever. So I enjoy everything a little bit more, realisng that it might be my last World Championships, last Olympic Games, etc. This motivates me to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way and it is always important for me to perform at my best.”

Van der Burgh has broken quite a few world records in his swimming career. I asked him what is more important, winning a medal or improving on world records, considering that a medal is for keeps but you can only borrow a record.

While swinging something through the air with the greatest of ease that looks like a hammer belonging to the Greek god, Thor, Van der Burgh responds –

Feature: Swimming

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Backpage Media

“Records are obviously important. Even though you may just ‘borrow’ it, it still means that your name will appear in the history books because you were the best swimmer in the world at a specific time, which is quite impressive. So for me records are important. I like the challenge of constantly pushing the boundaries. The ultimate would be to set a time that no one else can improve on.”

Van der Burgh has been following an intensive rehab programme during the past few weeks, trying to avoid surgery on a troublesome shoulder. He has been struggling with pain recently as a result of frequent competitions.

“Many of the specialists and surgeons want to operate the first time they see my shoulder, but I prefer to take the rehab route. I will be forever grateful for the way I have been supported by a team of experts from the hpc. They have done an amazing job.

“The support I am receiving from the hpc made me realise that, in order to stay one step ahead of the ever growing list of younger rivals, I need to have access to the best scientific minds.”

Cameron van der Burgh

“Nowadays sport is no longer merely spending hours on end in a swimming pool or on an athletics track. In the professional arena, success in any sport is about marginal gains. That is the reason why I signed up with the hpc again. I am confident that, with the help of their expertise, I will be in with a real chance to medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.” But it is a case of first things first. At the time of the interview, Van der Burgh was completely focused on the World Short Course Championships in Doha.

“I will be swimming the 50 and 100 metres butterfly events and maybe the 200m butterfly, if my shoulder holds up.”

Van der Burgh has been a dominant force in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events in which he often medalled.

However he is not too keen on the 200m.

“I started off in the 50m breaststroke and then went on to compete over 100 metres without a problem, but I am not too sure about the 200m. It feels as if I am stuck in no-man’s land when I compete over the longer distance. It is not as if I do not have the endurance, but I just don’t have the speed to be truly competitive over 200m. At the short course championships it is a different ball game. Because you do more turns, the 200 metres is more of a powerbased event and that suits me.”

There Is no Stopping Him! Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

31

Just like any building needs a solid architectural design and foundation, every life - to be successful - must be purposely designed and built to achieve a specific set of appropriate objectives and goals.

I want to challenge you to ‘think a bit smarter’ about the success you desire. What is your life plan specifically designed to accomplish?

Brace yourself... Right now, your life is perfectly designed to achieve the same results you are CURRENTLY GETTING! If you keep on doing what you are doing… you’ll keep on getting what you are getting.

Maybe you’ve saved some money for your retirement; or might have bought a number of insurance policies; maybe you have even invested some money in the stock market. These financial ‘building bricks’ do not amount to anything if you do not have a blueprint or plan for the financial future.

THE MYTH The way financial services worked in the past perpetuated the myth that: Financial services and planning was nothing more to most people than having a medical aid, pension fund, some life insurance, and maybe an investment or savings account. Financial planning used to be an exercise of ticking the boxes. Once the boxes were ticked you could relax, satisfied in knowing that your finances were in order.

BLUEPRINT FOR YOUR LIFE It’s not the actual financial products that are important. They are purely the tools used by financial planning professionals to help achieve financial and lifestyle goals.

However what is important, is having a sound financial plan, and the best financial plan starts with goals, not just how much money is being spent on insurance products.

A good financial planner wants to help their clients achieve more than just financial security — they want to help their clients achieve their dreams and goals, and the reality is that without proper financial planning – goals won’t be achieved, and dreams will remain exactly that – dreams. This is why financial planning begins with identifying: »

What are your life goals?

»

When do you want to retire?

»

What life do you want to live?

»

What are your big ambitions and dreams?

YOUR DREAM A dream could be anything from reducing working hours; to spending more time with family; to perhaps sailing around the world.

Maybe it is to save enough money to start a business or to be able to realise entrepreneurial dreams.

Once the dream or aspiration has been identified, it becomes the fundamental core of any financial plan. With good financial advice and planning, finances can be organised and arranged to help achieve these dreams.

BEING AN ARCHITECT A financial planner is in actual fact an architect of their client’s life plans. By having a firm blueprint, a Financial Planner helps determine what income is needed, and what is realistic and affordable. Then by using financial products as the ‘bricks’ a financial plan can be realised in accordance with the blueprint.

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Chad le Clos AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME AND CRUISING

Olympic and Double World Champion Chad le Clos continued his quest for world domination by comfortably cruising to his third overall Fina World Cup Series title this month.

Westvile Boys High

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME AND CRUISING

Feature: Swimming

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Backpage Media

There’s still more to come before 2014 reaches an end.

Next in the 22-year-old’s sights is a clean sweep of the butterfly events at the World Short Course Championships

taking place in Qatar from 3-7 December. It’s something that’s never been done at international level and that’s what appeals to the ambitious Le Clos, who just fell short of the feat at the

Commonwealth Games earlier this year, winning the 100 and 200m butterfly but having to settle for bronze in the 50m event.

“I think I’m going to do the three ’flies – try and win the three. I tried in the 50 at Commonwealths. I think if I can win the 50 that would be really good but all the races at world champs will be hard,” said Le Clos after qualifying for the Qatar event at the SA Short Course Championships earlier in the year.

“[Multiple American record holder] Tom Shields has beaten Michael Phelps this year, so he’s going to be good. There are no guarantees for wins anymore for me. At the end of the year I have to be on top of my game,” he added.

Le Clos was clearly on top of his game during the seven-leg World Cup Series, picking up a total of 27 medals and with that, an impressive winner’s cheque of US$100,000 (apart from the significant prize money for his individual race wins at each

there. We saw how the youngsters performed at the Commonwealth Games in the relay and I would like them to make the step up on the world stage.”

event). He also came incredibly close to the world record in several events. Coach, Graham Hill, pointed out that this is all part of his talented charge’s build-up to the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“We will look to Chad to win individual medals along with Cameron [Van der Burgh] and maybe there will be another one or two surprises. Myles Brown is in good form at the moment and Giulio Zorzi is always good in the 50m breaststroke.

“We planned how to attack the world cups and it all points towards Rio,” Hill told the SA Press Association (Sapa).

“Everything we are doing is in the plan for what we want to achieve there. We are well on track and everything is looking great.”

“Then we have a group of young girls, between 15 and 16 years old who actually swam the qualifying times and, who knows, maybe one or two of them can make the step up.”

As for the SA team’s prospects at the upcoming World Short Course Championships, Hill reckoned: “I think we can have a really good campaign

Le Clos was clearly on top of his game during the seven-leg World Cup Series, picking up a total of 27 medals and with that, an impressive winner’s cheque of US$100,000

Sidebar SA Men’s Rankings after 7 legs of the Fina World Cup: Rank

Name

Nationality

Points awarded (Bonus) QAT

UAE

HKG

RUS

CHN

JPN

SIN

Total

1

Chad le Clos

South Africa

54

66

72

90

72

60

60

474

9

Roland Schoeman

South Africa

18

21

-

-

18

21

27

105

14

Devon Myles Brown

South Africa

-

-

-

-

30

21

27

78

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

35

Myles Brown The Golden Myle

Myles Brown The Golden Myle

Old Boy

Often overshadowed by his teammate and training partner, Chad le Clos, Brown has been steadily working his way up the ranks and is hoping his success at the World Cup will translate into more medals – this time at the World Short Course Championships in Doha from 3-7 December.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Myles Brown’s bag was just that bit heavier when he returned from Asia where he competed in the final three legs of the Fina World Cup series.

Eight medals heavier in fact, after the Durban swimmer claimed three golds, four silvers and a bronze in Beijing, Tokyo and Singapore.

It would be a type of redemption for the 22-year-old, who was desperately disappointed with his performances at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this year.

Brown finished way off the pace in eighth spot in the 1500m freestyle and failed to reach the final of the 400m freestyle.

He did manage to claim one bronze medal, however, as part of the South African 4x200m freestyle relay team alongside Le Clos, Sebastien Rousseau and Dylan Bosch.

Feature: Swimming

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Photographer

So, a good showing in Qatar would be an important step on his way to what Brown hopes will ultimately be a successful Rio Olympics, after just missing out on qualifying for the London Games in 2012.

“The World Cups were the last chance for me to race some top swimmers before World Short Course champs, so obviously to swim some good races was key, and it gave me a chance to work on some stuff for the end of the year,” explained Brown, a former Kearsney College student.

“In Doha, the goal is mainly to swim my best times and see where that takes me for now. I had a very disappointing Commonwealth Games so it would be great for me to turn that around at the end of the year.”

Brown will be swimming the 200, 400 and 1500m freestyle events in Doha and is likely to be included in the relays too. After that it will be a short Christmas break before returning to training, under the watchful eye of coach Graham Hill, for next year’s Long Course World Championships in Russia.

Brown has put his maths degree on hold for now to concentrate on swimming full-time.

Speaking about the influence of Hill and Le Clos, Brown explained: “It’s massive! Graham is an awesome coach and very experienced and I think, as a team, we are growing more and more and starting to figure out each other and how I can reach my full potential.

“Chad is a great competitor and a good friend. He has helped me a lot, especially on these World Cups.

They have both taught me loads and I still find myself learning from them, even after a couple years beside them.”

Myles Brown The Golden Myle

Why swimming?

“I quite like the quiet of it. You’re underwater – there’s no one chatting in your ear, telling you what to do. So, going through school, I know that was a big factor for me. I could think about a whole lot of problems, if I’d had them during the day and I could sort them out in the pool and by the time I got home, it was all over. So, I enjoy the quiet of it and staring at that black line all day. It’s weird, but it’s what I love doing. I’ve never ever considered not doing it, or trying another sport. But I definitely think the peacefulness and the individualism of the sport is what drew me to it.”

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

37

Feature: SWIMMING

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Backpage Media & Lynn Morris Reynolds

Tara Nicholas’s parents must have suspected there’d be water in their then toddler’s future after she flung herself into the pool at her sister’s swimming lesson.

Old Girl

Tara in

Training for

Olypmics 2016 Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

39

Tara Nicholas in training for Olypmics 2016

“According to the stories I’ve been told, I took a liking to the water before I even started swimming and jumped into the pool in my clothes during my older sister’s swimming lesson.

I was about two years old at the time and from then on I carried on with the sport until quitting due to dislike of it around the age of 10,” explained the 6 ft1 breaststroke star.

The break didn’t last long, however, and by the end of grade 8, Nicholas was back in the water and starting to make a name for herself.

“After two weeks in the water, gaining confidence in my only concern at the time – the tumble turn – I won a silver medal in the 50 breaststroke at Westville champs. Here I decided I had a small shot at it.”

Soon Nicholas was competing for KwaZulu Natal and then nationally too, and the option came up to follow in her mentor, Penny Heyns’ footsteps and study at an American university on a swimming scholarship.

“As soon as I became aware of the idea that I could possibly get a scholarship to study in the US and swim for a team there to better my swimming and go to the Olympics, I decided that was my only option,” she explained. “Deciding to stay in South Africa and study was never a thing for me.”

Currently still in her first year of a psychology degree at Southern Methodist University in Texas, the former Wykeham Collegiate student has described the training facilities there as something from a completely different world to what she was used to growing up in Pietermaritzburg.

“I have had exposure to a more structured way of training.

My coach has always coached international swimmers and so understands our emotions well I would say.

“We have a whole team of sports administrators waiting for us if we’re sick or injured to help us, and a whole room dedicated to recovery. I have been exposed to training in the weight room which was something I never used to do at home and so I have gained experience from that, and it has certainly helped my training in terms of strength.

“I have also done far more racing in the States than I would’ve done back home, this being one of the main reasons for me coming to the States because it has helped me to build strength in my racing. We are racing almost every second weekend during the season (August through May) and so we would be racing when we’re tired because we don’t taper for every meet, we train through them, and this is excellent training for the important meets.

“Also, our coaching staff (head coach and assistant coach), are always on pool deck ready to go. And of course our good facility with all the right equipment for in water and dry land training is perfect to set up the best swimming seasons I have had yet.”

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Swimming

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Backpage Media & Lynn Morris Reynolds

That was certainly evident when Nicholas returned to South Africa for the national championships in April this year. That’s when she finished the meet as one of just two women to achieve a Commonwealth Games qualifying time – in the 100m breaststroke. Watching from the stands was the proud double Olympic champion and former world record holder Heyns, who reckoned her mentee would only get better and would soon eclipse her national 100m breaststroke record, which has stood for over 15 years.

“To do that would be an honour and a privilege and that is certainly something I am working towards on this journey,” said Nicholas.

“Penny and I have worked together before and she has been the perfect guidance I have needed in swimming.

Her experience has helped my experience in swimming and both of us being breaststrokers has worked out well,” she added.

“The first person that comes to mind is my grandfather. When I was a little girl, I always admired the peace he carried with him.

He lives on a farm with my grandmother and I spent a lot of my childhood growing up there,” she explained.

“I used to go walking with him in the fields and I loved the way he always had a mission and a goal and he always achieved it, no matter what. But more than that, I admired in him, and still do, the way he will always sit back and observe a situation or conversation and when the time is right and he has gathered his thoughts, he will only then voice his opinion. Most often everyone will stop to listen because there is so much value in what he says.”

While she doesn’t get to see much of her grandfather while in the States, he and the rest of her family were there to cheer Nicholas on at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year, and will likely be the first to book their tickets to Rio should she achieve her goal of competing at the 2016 Olympics.

“My biggest goal of all and thus my long term goal would be the Olympics in 2016. That has always been the main goal I have been working towards in the past few years, and where I am now is for the purpose of getting me there.”

Pops would certainly be proud.

While Heyns has certainly been an inspiration to Nicholas, when asked about her role models growing up, the 19-year-old points to someone a little closer to home.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

41

Dayne Odendaal swifter, better, faster‌

Dayne Odendaal swifter, better, faster‌

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Swimming

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Provided

Swimming can be lonely pursuits sometimes... face down, following the black line along the bottom of the pool, up and down, for hours and hours.

B

ut Glenwood High School’s swimming captain Dayne Odendaal doesn’t see it like that. For him, it’s all about the shared experiences.

“I love training. I love pushing myself further and further, always trying to be better than the guy next to me. It builds a sense of camaraderie between you and your training partners, both experiencing the same pain but pushing through and reaping the rewards later,” explained Odendaal.

“This tends to overflow into my life outside the pool, not only trying to be a better swimmer than I was the day before but a better person.”

Of course it also helps having the national coach, Graham Hill, not only as your club but also your school coach.

“I think Graham has a really good programme, but it’s more than that. It’s the squad.

He’s always put an emphasis on racing one another in training, and at Seagulls we

have a large number of the country’s fastest swimmers which takes training to the next level, especially for the younger guys like myself. He encourages us to observe the older guys and learn from them.”

Among the older guys is, of course, Olympic and double world champion Chad le Clos, from whom Odendaal has drawn great inspiration.

“In a way he has given us younger guys hope of achieving our dreams and goals. Seeing him at training in the pool always encourages me to be better, to push harder, to train like him and maybe one day, be a champion myself,” said the 17-year-old, who can’t remember when he actually took up swimming.

“To be honest, I can’t even remember learning to swim. My first memories of swimming were when I was in Grade 2 at Hillcrest Primary. It was compulsory for everyone to try out and soon enough I unveiled swimming as one of my talents,” he said.

“I continued to participate in school swimming for the next couple of years and then I moved to Glenwood Prep in Grade 4, where I met the catalyst, Debbie McLeod, in what would soon become my entire life, swimming.

Debbie noticed my potential and encouraged me to join her club

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

43

Dayne Odendaal swifter, better, faster…

and start competing at club level and eventually provincial level.“ “She went on to be my coach for the next seven years. 2013 saw me joining Seagulls Swimming Club under the coaching expertise of Graham Hill and Delon Dannhauser.”

Odendaal describes his greatest achievement in swimming so far as being included in the provisional SA U20 Youth Africa Games squad to compete in Zimbabwe later this year. The butterfly and individual medley star attributes much of his success, not only to his coaches but also his school, which has given him the opportunity to pursue his swimming career.

“Glenwood High School has played a very influential role in helping me cope with the vast amount of time I spend training and going on domestic and international tours,” explained Odendaal.

“Glenwood implemented a system in 2013 called the Elite Academy. Basically what it does is structure the individual’s academic time around their sport. This has allowed me to structure my day so that I have a lot more time to recover which allows me to put more into every session. “

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

“Due to the academic time being shorter and the learning process more structured around me, I’ve managed to stay focussed for more of my school day, whereas before the academy was implemented I found myself falling asleep in lessons due to the heavy training load. Medical support is also a part of the package. Having Kings Park Medical centre on the premises is very convenient and really has supported me with the help I’ve needed. A gym programme is also in place on the premises,” he added.

As for plans for next year after finishing matric, those also involve his school.

“Courtesy of Glenwood, I have been awarded a scholarship to Varsity College next year where I will be studying a BA in Corporate Communications while pursuing my swimming career. “

Feature: Swimming

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Provided

“Next year I hope to see myself on the national squads going to Junior Commonwealth Games and Junior World Champs, then obviously 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games are the long-term goals.�

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

45

Arjun Tendulkar A chip off the old block

Arjun

Tendulkar a chip off the

old block

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: cricket

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Reg Caldecott

The Cricinfo website describes Sachin Tendulkar as “Perhaps the most complete batsman and the most worshipped cricketer in the world”.

They certainly did not make this bold statement without justification. Tendulkar holds just about every batting record that is worth owning in the game, including those for most runs, most hundreds in Tests and ODI’s and most international runs.

Tendulkar was only 16 when he made his international debut and he lived in the public eye for the next 24 years, scoring a massive 15 921 runs in 200 tests at an average of 53.78.

When he was at his peak, many a South African bowler was on the receiving end of the ‘Little Maestro’s’ batting brilliance.

As a matter of interest, Sachin Tendulkar is only 1.65m tall.

Shortly before the tour to South Africa, the young Tendulkar made headlines in the Indian media when he scored 118 runs off just 42 balls during the Smaaash Master Blaster School Cricket Championship.

This led to a proud dad tweeting as follows: “Arjun did smash the ball during his knock at the Smaash Master Blaster Tournament.”

There definitely seems to be clear indications that, a few years from now, South African cricketers might again be tormented by a Tendulkar. The worrying difference will be that the younger version will not only bat but bowl as well.

Good left arm fast bowlers are scarce commodities in international cricket and this seems to be one of Arjun Tendulkar’s specialities. He says he loves the challenge of trying to outfox batsman with his bowling skills. His ultimate goal is to bowl as fast as Australia’s Mitchell Johnson in the foreseeable future.

Avinash Kadam, team manager of the Worli Cricket Club Under-18 side, is full of praise for the young Tendulkar’s ability to read the game as a bowler. Apparently he does not think twice before using a bouncer or two to intimidate a batsman. This could be bad news for South African cricketers in future because Tendulkar explicitly said that he loves the cricket conditions in South Africa because it tends to favour fast bowling.

When Tendulkar retired at the end of last year after playing his 200th test, cricket enthusiasts thought that it was the end of an era, but this assumption seems to have been wrong. It now appears that even the old saying that ‘lightning never strikes twice in the same place’ is only a myth.

Judging by the exploits of Sachin’s 15-year-old son, Arjun Tendulkar, during the tour of the World Cricket Club of Mumbai in South Africa, it seems likely that the young man could be a chip off the old block. Arjun was not only the captain, but also opened both the bowling and the batting.

He definitely made his presence felt during the tour. In the game against Gauteng Schoolboys Countryside he took his first ever hat-trick and ended with a fivewicket haul as well, which was also a first for him. At the time of the interview he had also scored 55 runs in one game.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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Arjun Tendulkar A chip off the old block

Do you experience the fact that you are the son of one of the all-time greats of international cricket as a burden? After all, Tendulkar is not such a common surname. When it is mentioned even people who are not cricket fans will immediately associate it with greatness.

Arjun Tendulkar is quick to point out that there is no pressure on him to excel in cricket.

“My dad keeps reminding me that as long as I continue to enjoy what I am doing, he is happy. He, for one, does not expect me to score a hundred each time I bat or take a lot of wickets. All he expects from me is a 100% commitment when I play a game or even when I train.

He is certainly my most ardent supporter. The most important thing I have learned from him is that nothing in life comes easily.

I know my dad got up at six most mornings to train for three to four hours and then he even went on to play a game on some days.”

What do you consider to be your dad’s most important achievement as a cricketer?

“Definitely the fact that he is the only batsman so far, who was able to score 100 centuries in international cricket.”

For those who do not know, Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 test centuries and 49 centuries in one-day cricket.

According to Arjun Tendulkar, his dad is somewhat concerned about the fact that he is currently opening the batting and the bowling, as well as being the captain.

“My dad’s advice to me is to consider batting lower down the order, perhaps at number four or five, to conserve some of my energy. Doing so could possibly help me to remain focussed for longer periods of time during a game.”

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When asked who he considers to be his role model as a batsman his answer was that he is being compared with Yuvraj Singh.

“I have been told that the way I bat is very similar to his.”

Arjun Tendulkar said he enjoys his role of being captain.

“I like the challenge of motivating my teammates and trying to get them to play at their best. Being a captain is somewhat similar to playing chess. You have to bide your time and make the right call at the right time in order to achieve victory for your team.”

It is interesting to note that Sachin Tendulkar has made quite a few pleas to the media during the past year to allow his son to enjoy playing cricket.

In an earlier interview with the Daily Telegraph Sachin Tendulkar said: “I’ve told him that one option he does not have any longer is to change his surname.

“People follow him, and people want to know what he’s doing in life and simultaneously want to have an opinion on every little thing that he does.

“I feel that, as a 15-year-old, he should be like any other kid, enjoying his game.

“He should be given that space to be madly in love with cricket.

“He is in love with cricket, but he should be given space to continue with that romance. For any sportsman to be successful, I think the most important thing is to be madly in love with your profession, with your sport.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

“Many people asked me what kept me motivated, and then my question always was what demotivates you? If you are in love with cricket why should you be demotivated? Getting motivated shouldn’t be a problem at all.

“With my son, he is passionate about the game.

He is in love with cricket, and all I would expect from anyone around us, is that they should not judge his every step, but give him freedom to express himself on the field, and be as free as any other player.”

Feature: cricket

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Reg Caldecott

Arjun Tendulkar – Fast facts age 15 years

date of birth 24 September, 1999

height 1.75 m

family members Sachin Tendulkar - Father, Anjali Tendulkar - Mother Sara Tendulkar - Sister

first century He scored his first century in June 2012

left-handed Arjun bats with his left hand and also bowls medium pace with the same hand

Education Arjun is a student of Dhirubhai Ambani School in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai

Batting and fielding averages

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF

Tests

200 329 33 15921 248* 53.78

ODI’s

463 452 41 18426 200* 44.83 21367 86.23 49 96 2016 195 140 0

T20I’s

1

1 0

10

SR

100 50 4s 6s Ct St 51 68

69 115 0

10 10.00 12 83.33 0 0 2 0 1 0

First-class 310 490 51 25396 248* 57.84

81 116 186 0

List A

60 114 175 0

551 538 55 21999 200* 45.54

Twenty20 96 96 11 2797 100* 32.90 2310 121.08 1

16 359 38 28 0

Bowling averages

Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10

Tests

200 145 4240 2492

46

3/10 3/14 54.17 3.52 92.1 0

0

0

ODI’s

463 270 8054 6850 154

5/32 5/32 44.48 5.10 52.2 4

2

0

1

1/12 1/12 12.00 4.80 15.0 0

0 0

71

3/10

61.74 3.45 107.1

0

0

551 10230 8478 201 5/32 5/32 42.17 4.97 50.8 4

2

0

T20I’s

1

1 15

12

First-class 310 7605 4384 List A

Twenty20 96

8 93 123

2

1/12 1/12 61.50 7.93 46.5 0

0 0

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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Sharks medical Anabolic Steriod usage in Schools

Anabolic Steroid

usage in Schools

Risking Your Health to Improve Your Physique?

A recent survey by Discovery Sharksmart of 9824 male pupils in 20 high schools proved both interesting and somewhat surprising.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Column: medical

Words: Dr Glen Hagemann - MD and Sports Physician of Sharks Medical (Pty) Ltd | Photos: Provided

The response rate to the survey was in excess of 80%, meaning that the results could be seen as fairly representative of the high school population involved. In the survey, approximately 5% of the respondents acknowledged having tried steroids at some stage in their lives. This incidence was lowest for grade 8’s (1.2%) as expected, and highest for grade 12’s (9.5%).

It is possible that these figures are indeed an underestimation of the real situation as a result of underreporting.

This ratio measures the strength of the association between two behaviours; the higher the odds ratio, the stronger the association.

We found that steroid use and a perceived excessive pressure to perform on the sports field had an odds ratio of 2.5. This means that there is a 2,5 times more likelihood of a pupil who perceives himself to be under pressure to perform, to resort to steroid use, and vice versa. Other associations with steroid use in order of increasing strength are: physical violence (odds ratio = 4.2), suicidal thoughts (odds ratio = 4.4), recreational drug use (odds ratio = 5.5) and hard drug use (7.2).

The results of the survey are not only surprising in that they reveal the relatively frequent use of anabolic steroids, but also because the main reason reported for steroid use is for self-image reasons, and not for enhancing sporting performance, as is the common perception.

The finding that steroid use has the strongest association with recreational and hard drug use, and the weakest association with sports performance, suggests that steroid use in our schools is a “lifestyle” or social problem; it is more of a social behaviour undertaken for social reasons, similar to the use and abuse of mind altering drugs, like marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine.

With this in mind then, it was easier to understand why half of the nearly 10,000 respondents indicated in the survey that they did not consider the use of steroids as “cheating”; the notion of cheating is only relevant to a sporting context.

In this material world of designer clothes, shoes, accessories and electronics, have some of our youth reached a point where the use of body altering drugs, like anabolic steroids, to produce designer bodies, is just an extension of this culture?

Two thirds of the pupils who had used steroids stated that they did so primarily to “look good”, while only a third did so to perform better on the sports field.

Incidentally, the main source for obtaining steroids by schoolboys, was reported to be from gyms.

We then looked at the association between steroid use and other lifestyle factors, using a statistical measure called “the odds ratio”.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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Sharks medical Anabolic Steriod usage in Schools

Q&A

With Dr Hagemann

Is the use of anabolic steroids in school sport banned?

Yes – they are banned in all sports at all levels.

Furthermore it is illegal to be in possession of anabolic steroids without a doctor’s prescription.

How do anabolic steroids affect the health of a person taking them and specifically, on young people who are still growing and developing. What side effects and long term health issues can they cause?

Anabolic steroids affect the health of virtually every organ in your body, causing anything from cancer, to heart disease, to testicular atrophy. Research shows that the long term use of steroids not only affects ones morbidity but also influences mortality.

What behavioural changes would you see in someone taking steroids (guidance for parents and teachers).

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Drastic appetite shifts Disrupted sleep patterns Hyperactivity or lethargy Extreme mood swings Increased aggression or irritability Becomes disrespectful or abusive (verbally/physically) Feelings of invincibility Starts lying or becomes secretive Withdraws from family members / interaction Sleeps in the afternoon or in class Loss of focus / concentration Decline in school marks

How does someone report the steriod abuse, to whom do they report it and can they remain anonymous?

They can either report it to their school’s head or online to The South African Institute for Drug Free Sport at http://www.drugfreesport.org.za/.

If a school wanted to be tested, how do they go about it?

They need to contact SAIDS and arrange a workshop.

Once this has taken place, they can select boys for testing based on “reasonable suspicion” and submit

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Dr Glen Hagemann MBChB. Dip. Anaes. MM edSci(Sports Med) Sports Physician / Ma naging Director SHARKS MEDICAL (Pt y) Ltd Tel: 031-3121136 Cell: 083-4523141

the required authorization form to SAIDS. At this stage purely random testing is not allowed.

What is the penalty for using anabolic steroids in sport and if a young person is taking them in preparation for an international event, is there testing that will disqualify them from participating?

The recommended guideline is a minimum of one year suspension from all sport with a maximum penalty of expulsion from the school.

Athletes tested at national / international events will fall under the WADA code for sporting federations and here the minimum sanction is currently two years (becoming four years in 2015).

Marc Fourie is moving and shaking!

Marc Fourie is moving and shaking!

It has been an exciting year for Marc Fourie, and he has generously shared his competitive Mountain biking experiences with Game On. What has been the greatest moment in your Mountain biking career so far?

My greatest moment so far was winning the second race in the South-African Cross Country MTB series, hosted at the Afriski Resort in Lesotho on the 19th of April this year. This event formed part of the International Junior World Cup Series.

The win elevated my position to fourth overall on the World Ranking for Junior men.

At what age did you start moutainbiking competitively: I only started competing in national events during 2013 when I was 16 years old.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Mountain biking

Words: Marc Fourie. Q&A by Game On Magazine | Photos: Provided

Who is your trainer/coach?

David Low, with whom I started training early in 2013.

Do you belong to a Club and Team (if not a Grey College Team)?

I am a member of the Grey College MTB team and I am also a member of the Cyclotech cycling club in Bloemfontein.

Who is your current sporting icon that you look up to: The late Burry Stander whom I consider as one of the best and most talented cyclists in all disciplines of the sport.

Who is your mentor, who supports you in your growth, in sport and in life: My parents, coach and teammates who believe in me and always support me during races.

What more would you like to achieve in this sport: I aim to represent my country in the international XCO World Cup series and to excel in national events.

How often do you train: I train six days a week with an average of 14 hours per week.

Do your parents come and support you when you race?

Yes, they take me to the races which are hosted all over South-Africa and are my biggest supporters.

Do you participate in other sports?

I was a keen tennis player but cycling takes up most of my time lately.

When you are training, what is the most important skill/s you need to acquire/ learn to be successful in Mountain biking?

Mountain biking requires a high level of fitness as well as specific technical skills to deal with rough terrain, obstacles and steep climbs. Mental strength is also crucial in high intensity racing.

Do you follow a special diet?

Not really, I try to eat enough and healthy foods and refrain from sweets and soft drinks.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

55

Marc Fourie is moving and shaking!

Are you sponsored by anyone?

I have an informal sponsorship from Cycotech Cycles in Bloemfontein who supply me with complimentary supplements and energy drinks as well as club kits and discounts on cycling equipment.

What do you do to relax and have fun?

I ride my bike! I have a secondary Enduro-type mountain bike which is more gravity orientated. I also play the guitar.

What value has Mountain biking brought to your life, what life skills has it given you to support you as you mature that you will use in life outside school.

you have done?

It made me more focussed and disciplined and gave me purpose in life. It showed me what can be achieved through commitment, hard work and a positive self-belief.

What are your career aspirations/what would you like to do after school and does it include Mountain biking?

What do you do to keep your headspace in good shape to achieve the way

Mountain bike racing is very exhausting mentally, so I try to sleep as much as possible. I also like spending time with my friends and my girlfriend.

I want to become a professional mountain biker, own a cycling shop one day and maybe engage in professional coaching.

Gert and Nyda Fourie (Marc’s parents) have the following to share: Why did you choose Grey College for your son?

Marc followed his older brother into Grey and we were very aware of the opportunities and exposure that Grey offers to scholars who are prepared to work hard to achieve their goals.

What value do you feel participating in sport has brought to Marc’s personal growth and mindset, morals and values?

Marc’s participation in sport and mountain biking has had a strong impact on him as a person. He learned to be an ambassador for his sports discipline, to be gracious in victory and defeat, as well as a mindset that one can achieve goals that you set for yourself. Also that one cannot win everything and that hard work and perseverance are key to success.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Mountain biking

Words: Marc Fourie. Q&A by Game On Magazine | Photos: Provided

David Low, Marc’s coach, shared this with us about Marc and his personal experience in mountain biking.

How long have you been coaching Marc?

I have been coaching Marc for the past 2 years.

How long have you been involved in mountain biking and why is it a passion of yours?

I have been involved in Mountain Biking for the past 17 years. I am totally passionate about the sport – I live, dream, eat and sleep mountain biking. I also take great interest in the training and development of young inspiring riders.

What have you enjoyed most about coaching/ training Marc?

Marc is a talented athlete and has the drive and determination to go far in the sport. It is always a pleasure coaching athletes who are serious about the sport and committed to their training programs.

What advice would you give to any youngster who is showing signs of excellence in the sport and how to go about getting the right kind of training to take them forward?

The advice I would give to youngsters is to have fun and enjoy riding your bike! When they reach the competitive categories from say Juniors and up then they can start focusing on more specific training.

Do you have any favourite quote that you would like to share?

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever” - Lance Armstrong.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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kovsies Netball Champs celebrate Varsity Cup Triumph

Netball Champs

Kovsies celebrate Varsity Cup Triumph 58

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: netball

Words: Karien Jonckheere | Photos: Provided

Going into the final of the competition, coach of the Kovsies Varsity Cup netball team, Burta de Kock, was far from confident of her team defending their title.

She’d lost five players this season due to a newly introduced age restriction rule, and her team had already gone down to the powerful Tuks side – their opponents in the final, played in Pretoria last month.

“Last year we had a lot of experienced players who were doing their masters to still be a part of Varsity netball. And we knew we were going to take it,” explained De Kock.

“But this year without those experienced players, we focused totally on the players’ development – because they will still be eligible for the team next year, so for us that was important.”

side, we planned to have another combination but that didn’t work.

But I wasn’t sad. It was bad to lose – I’m a very bad loser – but for me, it was more about seeing what the young players are giving me on court and what should I expect from them.

“So, after that loss we just worked with a game by game approach and worked on different combinations against different players on court.”

De Kock was full of praise for her captain, Karla Mostert who was named Player of the Tournament.

The benefits of this plan obviously kicked in even sooner than anticipated, as De Kock’s team went into the half-time break of the Cup final 22-16 up and eventually took the title 49-42. No other team has claimed the title of Varsity Cup champion in the tournament’s two-year existence.

“We are very happy. We worked very hard throughout the year and throughout the pre-season.

The focus wasn’t really on the win. The focus for me, as a coach, was on developing a holistic netball player for the future of the province and South Africa,” said De Kock.

Speaking about her side’s 54-48 loss to the same opposition earlier in the tournament, the coach explained: “Playing a tough game against a very experienced Tuks

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59

kovsies Netball Champs celebrate Varsity Cup Triumph

“We are very happy. We worked very hard throughout the year and throughout the pre-season. The focus wasn’t really on the win. The focus for me, as a coach, was on developing a holistic netball player for the future of the province and South Africa,” said De Kock “Karla is a fantastic player and a role model. And not only a netball player – she’s also a person of life. She’s got a fantastic attitude, hard-working, loyal, committed. She’s really leaving a big legacy in the province to younger players. So we were very excited when she was announced as Player of the Tournament,” she said, also pointing to a number of others in the team that really stood out during the fiveweek tournament.

Varsity Cup Team of the Tournament

“Lauren-Lee Christians and Ané Botha were a brilliant combination from the Kovsies side. I am very excited as a coach because in the group of 18, we had 12 first year students – so they’re a young, upcoming team with a great deal of potential. Danielle van der Merwe, Rieze Streauli and Tanya Mostert (Karla’s sister) are all exceptional young players – they stood their ground on the senior court and we are looking forward to seeing them on court next year.”

Goal Shooter: Danelle Willemse (Kovsies)

As for the impact the introduction of Varsity Cup netball has had, not only in the Free State, but the entire country, De Kock added: “It is a fantastic project.

Previously we would work so hard on court – four to five hours per day – only for universities SAs.

Wing Attack: Bongo Ngubeni (NWU Puk)

“So, for the players in South Africa this is an opportunity to take to the court, be exposed to South Africa and also to the province. There were 3000 spectators in the Callie Human hall watching the game – it was so fantastic for people in the Free State to be able to watch the netball, to be a part of this fantastic game and also to get exposure on TV. It is an incredible experience for these players and we are very grateful to the sponsors who made this possible for players in South Africa.”

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Wing Defence: Lentsa Motau (NWU Puk) Goal Attack: Melissa Myburgh (Tuks) Goal Defence: Karla Mostert (Kovsies) – Player of the Tournament

Goal Keeper: Shadine vd Merwe (Tuks) Centre: Lauren-Lee Christians (Kovsies)

Substitutes: Wing Defence: Jo Prins (Maties) Goal Shooter: Chante Steyn (NWU Puk) Goal Defence: Vanes-Mari du Toit (Tuks) Goal Attack: Rieze Straeuli (Kovsies) Centre: Cleopatra Kgopotsu (Tuks)

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

61

die Hoërskool Menlopark’s cycling team is Absolut-ely Fabulous!

Die Hoërskool Menlopark’s cycling team is

Absolutely Fabulous!

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Cycling

Words: Philna van Veijeren | Photos: Provided

Cycling is a taxing sport. Not only do cyclists face intense hours on a seemingly impossibly small saddle, but they hurtle through and about jaw dropping obstacles at tremendous speeds, all the while maintaining precision and control.

Racing cross country means being spattered by mud and painted in a thick layer of dust until one can almost be mistaken for a part of the surroundings. The only giveaway would be the ever present shiny grin – an apparent vital part of Die Hoërskool Menlopark’s cycling team’s uniform.

Die Hoërskool Menlopark has been cultivating a proud cycling tradition since 2001 and has seen astounding growth. The Absolut Menlo Cycling Club is the first

school cycling club to be affiliated with Gauteng North Cycling Club, and they also host their own annual interschool event in which anyone, of any age or school, can participate.

At the heart of the team is Cecile Slabbert, who started as just another spectator mommy, but soon became so much more. It was at a cycling meet, attended by a handful of unenthused parents, that she could not help but feel saddened by the overwhelming lack of team spirit.

Cecile somehow instinctively knew that if the team were to improve their performance and reach their

potential, they would need her help. She formulated an action plan and shared her vision with the school’s governing body who responded enthusiastically. She didn’t want a single cyclist to have to stay at home because of lack of transport or any other reason.

They had to develop a community to support the team’s efforts.

It all started with one simple idea!

Transporting the bicycles was always problematic, so they acquired a trailer for this purpose, which helped matters enormously. The team were motivated and their hard work and dedication soon yielded significant results and they became a force to be reckoned with.

It all started with one simple idea! Transporting the bicycles was always problematic, so they acquired a trailer for this purpose, which helped matters enormously. The team were motivated and their hard work and dedication soon yielded significant results and they became a force to be reckoned with.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

63

die Hoërskool Menlopark’s cycling team is Absolut-ely Fabulous!

In order to become an affiliated club, they had to host their own race. No sooner said than Cecile Slabbert knew it could be done. They built a track on Die Hoërskool Menlopark’s school grounds and invited the neighbouring schools to compete. In addition to high schools, primary schools were also invited to participate.

Everyone was welcome - they also held an open category for anyone who wasn’t a club member, but still wanted to take part.

In a matter of three years, the cycling club has expanded from not much more than 5 cyclists, to 40 members registered at Cycling South Africa. They also now have a professional coach, Richard Sutton, heaps of team spirit and a sense of unity that make them stronger than ever.

This has been a highly successful year for the Absolut Menlo Cycling Club. They have left dust in the eyes of their competitors at interschool races, the provincial series, Cup Series, marathon competitions, the MTN series, and, most impressively, the Spur Series on a national level. It was the first time that all 9 provinces were represented,

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When Cycling South Africa had to contribute to a TV channel on school sports, they asked Die Hoërskool Menlopark’s team if they would be filmed because of their participation at every possible race and their prominence in the cycling community.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Cycling

Words: Philna van Veijeren | Photos: Provided

with 38 schools from across the country, as well as schools from Namibia and Zimbabwe participating. The Menlopark Team finished in overall first place.

The cycling team is truly like a family. They went on a highly successful team building camp,

where they trained together and built friendships around the campfire, as well as through improvised campfire concerts.

In the team, everyone is treated equally and the youngest club member, who is still in primary school, is just as important as the team captain.

Inside the cycling team, young love is blossoming. There are two cycling couples who started dating this year – Gustav Rohde and Anjenel van der Walt, as well as Saffron Vosloo and Henry Liebenberg. Vosloo and Liebenberg have been dating since 15 August, when he

In a matter of three years, the cycling club has expanded from not much more than 5 cyclists, to 40 members registered at Cycling South Africa.

They also now have a professional coach, Richard Sutton, heaps of team spirit and a sense of unity that make them stronger than ever.

surprised her with a candlelight picnic. Rohde and Van der Walt couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other from the moment they met at the start of the year, and compare their relationship to sunshine, because their smiles are contagious.

One thing that both couples agree on, is that they wouldn’t be together if it hadn’t been for the close-knit cycling team.

Cycling is an important part of their lives – it brings them together, and their better halves also motivate

them at races and pick them up if they fall.

When Cycling South Africa had to contribute to a TV channel on school sports, they asked Die Hoërskool Menlopark’s team if they would be filmed because of their participation at every possible race and their prominence in the cycling community.

Cecile Slabbert, now known as the cycling team’s mom, along with Chris van Blerk and the rest of their team, have big plans for the future of the Absolut Menlo Cycling Club. Most importantly, they have a structure in place, which means that, even if one of the leaders and organisers

can’t be there or has to leave, the team will be able to carry on growing. Their biggest challenge in the upcoming year will be to defend their national title as the best cycling school, but their main focus will be on further development of technical skills.

The secret to their success is simple – the cyclists enjoy every moment. The joy of participating has never been second to the importance of winning, and that is why every race is regarded as a success, whether you win or lose, if you achieve a new personal best or suffer a fall. Every team member is important no matter what, and their number one goal is having a great time.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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kyle scheepers a player to watch

Kyle Scheepers Kyle Scheepers is a Grade 11 Pupil at HoĂŤrskool Dr. EG Jansen in Boksburg and an avid cricketer. One of his best performances this season was scoring an unbeaten 164 runs in a T20 Game, which certainly took some doing. He is also quite skilful with a ball in hand.

Name: Kyle Scheepers Age: 17 Sport: Cricket 1st team Years playing cricket: 11

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: cricket

>> Do you participate in any sports other than cricket and, if so, how successful are you?

I play rugby for fun and have recently started to play golf as well.

>> How old were you when you began to participate in sport?

What sport was it and what do you remember about it?

I began to play cricket when I was 6 years old. We played matches every Saturday and we also played cricket during school breaks.

>> Are you a bowler, a batsman or an all-rounder?

I am an all-rounder.

Words: Wilhelm de Swart. Q&A by Kyle Scheepers | Photos: Provided

be your best achievement in cricket or any other sport?

Scoring a last minute drop goal to win a rugby game against Glenwood High and scoring my first high school hundred against Northwood High School.

>> Name one or two things that you currently do in your training that you consider to be a key to your success?

I always try to ‘practice like I play’.

>> How do you decide what your future goals will be?

Every time I play a game I try to beat my own best previous scores/figures.

>> What was your best score as a batsman and against which team?

>> What do you consider to be your main challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

My best performance with the bat was scoring 164* against Liverpool in a Coke T20 game.

I badly want to be selected for the provincial side and this ambition motivates me to keep on working harder.

>> And what was your best performance as a bowler?

As a bowler I took 6\28 in overs against Glenwood High School.

>> What do you consider to

>> Are you on any special diet?

I try to stay healthy by staying away from fizzy drinks. I drink fruit juice, milk and water. I eat at least one fresh fruit a day and Futurelife for breakfast.

10

>> Name one or two things that you believe make you different from your contemporaries?

I

often stay behind after our formal training to do a bit more. I absolutely love cricket.

Have you ever experienced a breakthrough in your cricket career?

I was spotted by a cricket coach from Durban High School and the school offered me a bursary for grade 8.

What was the best advice you were ever given and by whom?

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kyle scheepers a player to watch

“You won’t believe it but no one has ever been caught when hitting the ball on the ground.” Mr. Norton said this to me.

Do you have a saying or motto by which you live your life?

“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” - Rocky Balboa.

From where do you draw your inspiration?

From my previous cricket coaches, Kurt Donaldson, Amos Maungwa, and my current coach, Jannie Groenewald.

Who has been the toughest bowler you had to face as a batsman so far in your career and what made it difficult?

Sibonelo Makhanya. He had a good line and length and could bowl in or out swing with a good Yorker and back of the hand slower ball.

>> What was the main hurdle you had to overcome in order to become the player you are today?

I

used to struggle when I had to face the new ball but I worked hard at it and now I am the opening batsman.

>> If you were not a cricket player, what would you be doing?

I would have been working to become a better rugby player.

Playing cricket

>> Who has been your chief inspiration in cricket?

Glen Maxwell.

>> Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? for a provincial cricket team.

>> What do you like to do in your free time, away from cricket?

Hang out with my friends, go to gym, play golf, watch sports or movies or play ps3 .

>> Do you have any pre-match routines?

I eat Mc Donalds before most games and do a few throw downs in the nets.

>> What advice would you give to other young up-and-coming players?

Never give up.

>> Have your parents played a major role in your progress to become the player you are now?

They have always helped, supported and encouraged me.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

ArE you rEAdy To uNlEAsh ThE chAMPioN iNsidE you?

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For More Information visit www.pvm.co.za Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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peter norval SA Open Judo Champ is giving 100%

SA Open Judo Champ

is giving

100%

Peter Norval was introduced to Judo at the tender age of five in Grade 0 at Parkview Junior School as his Dad felt it would be a good sport for him as it has the combination of discipline and contact. He felt it was important for Peter to build both physical and mental strength early on in life.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: judo

Who is your trainer?

Words: Peter Norval, Piet Norval & Debbie Norval | Photos: Provided

My Sensei is Paul Nothnagel who runs the Hajime Judo Academy.

Sensei Guy Kissala has also been very involved in my training since I first began.

Do you belong to a Club and Team (if not a KES Team)?

Yes I belong to Hajime Judo Academy. I also fight provincially for the Central Gauteng Team. I also represented the SA Team in Botswana this year.

How many hours a day do you train?

My training schedule changes throughout the year depending on upcoming tournaments and grading. At the moment I train Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings for two hours a day.

We also have fitness training on Sundays when preparing for a big tournament.

When you are training, what is the most important skill/s you need to acquire/learn to be successful in Judo?

With Peter Norval (14) What value has Judo brought to your life, what life-skills has it given you to support you as you’ve grown up.

Judo has taught me how to focus and concentrate. It has given me confidence and self-esteem as well as humility and selfdiscipline. Judo is wonderful for learning to work as a team but also helped me develop individual strength of character.

Judo is great for self-defense.

Important skills in judo include throwing techniques, sparring, fitness, speed and strength.

Concentration, discipline, endurance and developing a fighting spirit are also important. At the moment I’m practicing Kata for my upcoming black belt grading.

Who is your role model in Judo?

My role model is Ilias Iliadis who is a Greek Olympic champion. We all learn his techniques at Hajime Academy and he is our club role model.

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peter norval SA Open Judo Champ is giving 100%

It has taught me the importance of health and fitness and the best nutrition for my body to fight my best. One of the best things that judo has brought to my life is father-son bonding time. My Dad also started doing judo two years ago and we do all our training together. I have developed close and lasting friendships in the judo community, and last but not least… an awesome sixpack!

What has been the greatest moment in your Judo career so far?

What are your career aspirations/what would you like to do after school and does it include Judo?

Do you participate in other sports?

My biggest goal is to represent South Africa in the next Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Olympics. I’d like to study something in the financial field one day as I enjoy Maths, but I hope I can do judo coaching part time while I’m at University.

My greatest moment was when I first won the SA Open Championships in 2010. I’ve won the SA Open four times and the SA Schools Tournament twice. I was first awarded SA Colours in 2010 and that was also a great moment for me.

I enjoy rugby and cricket which I play at KES. In Primary school I also enjoyed athletics and soccer.

Have you ever used your Judo skills to deter bullies or protect yourself?

When I was much younger I sometimes had to stick up for myself and my friends, but fortunately bullying has not been a problem at the schools I have attended.

Do your parents come and support you in your tournaments?

Yes, my parents attend every tournament no matter where it is held in SA. My father has recently also started doing judo so we compete in the same tournaments and go to training together. My little sister, Annabel, can’t bear to watch me fight and only comes to tournaments if absolutely forced to, and then she closes her eyes!

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This is what Piet and Debbie have to say about their son Peter, and how Judo has played an important role in his development and the skills it has given him for adulthood.

Peter is fourteen years old and is a happy, balanced, popular teenager with lots of friends.

We have made sure that his judo success has not gone to his head and he has remained very humble. We support his judo but we also make sure that he pays equal attention to his academics and encourage him to play his guitar. Peter was diagnosed with ADD and auditory processing difficulties when he was 6 years old. Judo has helped him more than anything else to focus, to pay attention and to listen. It has helped his confidence and self-esteem as well. We encourage him in all he does but don’t push him too hard. He is a normal teenager who has to be hauled off his cell phone and Playstation daily! Peter knows that we are always there for him and are very proud of him.

CRICKETING PEDIGREE

ADVERTORIAL: SCHOOL CRICKET

KES HAS BECOME A

Breeding Ground for

Tomorrow’s National Cricketers noted recent performance came from Vaughan van Jaarsveld in 2003. In the match against Jeppe he bludgeoned a record beating 240 not out off 157 balls, thereby breaking Paul Winslow’s record of 232 of 1947. Van Jaarsveld subsequently went on to be rewarded with his Protea Cap in the ODI serious against Australia. More recently, Wesley Landsdale scored 212 not out (34x4, 2x6) off 182 balls against St John’s College in a declaration match in 2006.

The John Hurry Oval has borne witness to many a feature cricket star What do Ray Jennings, Kevin McKenzie, Hugh Page, Lee Barnard, Ali Bacher, Neil McKenzie, Vaughn Van Jaarsveld, Graeme Smith, Dane Vilas, Stephen Cook and Quinton De Kock have in common?

They are all products of King Edward VII School which is considered to be one of South Africa’s finest cricketing nurseries. While The School’s rich cricketing legacy has been well documented, it is the meteoric rise during the modern era of prominent King Edward Old Boys that has shown the School’s cricketing class.

2002 saw Graeme Smith make his test debut against Australia and at the age of 22, Smith became the youngest ever cricketer to captain the Proteas.

In the tour of England in 2003 he made double centuries in consecutive Test matches: a national record of 277 at Edgbaston and 259 at Lord’s, the highest score at the ground by a foreign player. In the Highveld Lions team of 2005/2006, no fewer than 5 members of the team were products of the School. In the second test at the Sahara Newlands Stadium, King Edward boasted TWO Old Boys in the starting line-up, captain Graeme Smith and opener Neil McKenzie.

Many of the more recent teams have been amongst those highly rated in South Africa. The team of 2002/2003 was rated 2nd in the country. King Edward VII School has won the Johnny Waite cricket competition 19 times out of a possible 36. The most

In the more recent history, The Jimmy Cook Cricket Academy was set up at the Indoor nets at King Edward in 2009 and since has taken the schools cricket from strength to strength. With a state of the art facility the boys are coached on a one on one and group basis throughout the day by current Franchise players Stephen Cook, Richard Das Neves and Grant Thomson. With the appointment of Ryan Cook as 1st XI coach, the 1st XI achieved 3 Johnny Waite Titles in a row and twice went on to narrowly miss out on the National Schools Pro20 challenge title in 2010 and 2011 coming 3rd on both occasions. The remarkable winning streak in 2012 and 2013 of 23 games in a row was a proud achievement and the future crop of players are an exciting prospect as talent and hard work meet to produce outstanding individual and team performances.

In 2009 Malcolm Nofal was selected for South Africa U19 to the World Cup in New Zealand and this set off a spate of international caps in the next few years.

1st XI captain Grant Roelofsen starred for SA U-19 earlier this year

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KING EDWARDS VII has produced 4 consecutive SA U-19 cricket captains

In 2010, Keaton Jennings was elected as captain of South Africa U19 for the tour of both Zimbabwe and England and was joined by 3 other KES boys namely, Quinton De Kock, Shaylen Pillay and Malcolm Nofal.

Jennings and De Kock both picked up the Man of the Series awards in those tours respectively.

Following in the footsteps of captaincy, Quinton was the successor to Keaton during Pakistan’s U/19’s tour to South Africa in 2011 and Shaylen Pillay subsequently took over the reigns from him. The leadership continued when Yaseen Valli was elected Captain of South Africa U/19 for the tour to India in 2012. He was an integral part of the success of the 2013 World Cup Campaign as an all-rounder averaging 80 with the bat and took 11 wickets at 10.8.

Most recently Grant Roelofsen was selected for the SA U19 tour of England in 2014 recording 149 runs in the 1st test and completing a record breaking 7 dismissals in the 2nd test.

Attitude, character and effort are the main focus as the boys seek a cricketing education like no other in the country

Yaseen Valli, Dane Vilas and Akshaye Maharaj after a session at KES indoor nets During this time Former Old Boys of the school enjoyed some incredible achievements. Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie registered a world record Highest Opening Stand of 415 against Bangladesh in 2008. In 2009 Stephen Cook broke the current South African domestic record for the highest First Class Score, making 390. It was also the fourth longest innings ever recorded. Quinton De Kock was amongst the great names of Sir Viv Richards, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen as the quickest player to 1000 ODI runs, including 4 centuries in a row against various international opposition.

King Edward VII School’s rich traditions and culture are alive and well and with the schools motto of Strenue meaning “Strength through Effort”, it forms the basis of the ethos of the Cricket at the school.

Attitude, Character and Effort are the main focus as the boys seek a cricketing education like no other in the country. The emphasis from a coaching perspective is to maximize each players potential and provide learning and growth as a person and as a cricketer and promotes an environment which continues to strive for improvement to prepare the boys to become leaders in their chosen fields.

Graeme Smith visits his alma mater when he can

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Primary School cricketers interested in joining King Edward VII School for their high-schooling can contact Deon Visser on 079 393 8354 or email him at dvisser@kes.co.za

Feature: Soccer

Words: Shawn Belluigi (Intune Communications) | Photos: Provided

Holy Trinity High School Wins a

‘cool million’ Holy Trinity High School from Atteridgeville, Tshwane, won the 2014 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup in their first outing in the competition beating team Tholokuhle High School, from Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal 3-0 in the final.

This means that Holy Trinity have pocketed a cool R1 million which will not be handed over in cash, but the school will identify much needed legacy projects that will benefit the entire school, as well as the surrounding community.

Holy Trinity went into the final match at a great advantage as the majority of their players belong to the Supersport United Academy. Two of the players, Keegan Poole and Thabo Mile, the latter scoring one of the goals in the final match, also play for the Supersport first team.

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75

Holy Trinity High School Wins a ‘cool million’

But, said the coach, Kaitano Tembo, who is also the Supersport Development coach, they played without their number one goalkeeper, Dumisano Msibi, who is currently with the Bafana Bafana team that is in camp preparing for the African Cup National qualifier against Congo.

Furthermore, three of their key players were injured just prior to the national finals.

Meanwhile, little was known about Tolokuhle – until now.

The school has been competing in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup for a number of years but has never made it past the regional stage of the competition. They have no academy players and are not attached to any PSL club. They made it to the final through sheer hard work, drive and determination.

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Credit must go to the winning school, Trinity. “It’s been

a long journey, one that has been interesting from the beginning right to the final game. We saw Harmony as our main competition and when they were knocked out we knew that we had a good chance of winning. Credit must go to our Principal, Andre Castelyn. He has supported us throughout our journey. He believed in the boys and having him around encouraged the team to do better. I also want to acknowledge the team captain, Zakhele Mgobhozi who showed true leadership qualities throughout the tournament. He led by example and deserved the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.”

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Soccer

Words: Shawn Belluigi (Intune Communications) | Photos: Provided

Mondale High School from Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town finished their 2014 Under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup campaign on a high after beating Kwa-Shuku, from Mpumalanga, 4 – 2 in the 3rd place playoff game. They walk away with R500 000 in funding. Combined with their R100 000 as the Western Cape provincial winners, the total goes up to R600 000. Kwa-Shuku, from Mpumalanga, a first timer in the national finals, take home R400 000.

According to their coach, Nigel Crowie, the school is going home proud. “We finished in 5th position last year and our aim was to finish fourth this time around, so this third place finish is a bonus,” he said.

Mondale is gaining a reputation as a football nursery. Three of the players from the 2013 Mondale team have gone on to PSL clubs.

Brandon Dean is currently with SuperSport United, Darren Smith is in the starting line up for AmaZulu and Dillon Fransch, who is currently in Grade 12 at the school, is with Ajax Cape Town.

According to Crowie, it’s not correct to say that Mondale hosts the Ajax Cape Town youth academy. There is only one player at the school who is with their academy, Dillan Fransch, but there are about 4 others that are attached to a local Cape Town based Academy. Fransch was scouted by both Sundowns and Ajax CT at last year’s Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup but opted to remain in Cape Town.

The coach said that after their good performance at this tournament, they are hoping that more players will have been noticed by the PSL clubs.

“Our school is not a sports academy,” Crowie said. “The principal promotes excellence and doesn’t stand for mediocrity so all the boys at the school excel academically and on the sports field. That’s one of the reason our boys have done so well in soccer, they are achievers.”

However, Crowie stresses that academics come before sport. “All the players brought their books along to Pretoria to study for their exams which start in a few week’s time,” he said. “Most of the players are in grade 12, so their final exams are just around the corner. We achieved a 99 percent pass rate last year and are determined to maintain that standard.”

The Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup is not an easy tournament, Crowie said. “The players seem to get better every year, but we prepared well for the finals and our hard work paid off.”

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Holy Trinity High School Wins a ‘cool million’

Results

Individual Awards

3rd/4th play off

Coach of the Tournament:

Kwa-Shuku 2 vs

7 Mondale

Mr M. Dladla from Tholokuhle High School

Goals:

Top goalscorer:

Sandile Hlatshwayo

1

1

Clinton Herwel

Bandile Molaba (Kwa-Shuku)

1

4 Dillan Fransch

Shared between Zakhele Mgobozi and Kwanele Zulu from Trinity

1

Clint Fredericks

Fair Play award:

1

Kyle Adriaanse

Bennys Sports Development Academy Goalkeeper of the tournament:

FINAL

Msawakhe Mngwango from Thololuhle High School

Holy Trinity 3 vs 0 Tholokuhle Goals: Zakhele Mgobhozi

1

Kwanele Zulu

1

Thabo Mile

1

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Player of the tournament: Zakhele Mgobozi from Holy Trinity High School

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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Louis Hattingh & Jean van der Westhuizen KZN duo take k2 title

KZN Duo take K2 title

MICHAELHOUSE EXPLORE. EDUCATE.EXCEL.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Canoeing

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Balint Vekassy

South Africa produces some of the best canoeists in the world.

A quick glance at the results of the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships on the Oklahoma River in the US confirms this statement. Hank McGregor rewrote the history books by becoming the first South African paddler to win gold medals in both K1 and K2 (with Jasper Mocké). The unheralded crew of Maritzburg College, consisting of ace Louis Hattingh and the 15-year-old Michaelhouse sprinter, Jean van der Westhuizen, secured a world title for team South Africa in a thrilling Under-18 Boys K2 race.

Van der Westhuizen is one of the youngest ever

winners of a junior marathon canoeing world

title.

Hattingh also won a bronze medal in the K1 Under-18 race and Jenna Ward finished third in the women’s Under-23 race. South Africa’s master and veteran canoeists also gave good reckoning of themselves by winning no fewer than 12 medals.

With McGregor holding his own in the senior ranks, it is encouraging to see that young canoeists, such as Hattingh and Van der Westhuizen, are lifting their game to the next level. Close followers of the local canoeing results will know that team Hattingh and Van der Westhuizen is no overnight sensation.

They teamed up for the first time about four years ago.

“I was still Under-12 when Louis’s partner became ill before a race and he asked me to be his partner. If my memory serves me right, I think we won the race, but I never thought then that we would one day become world champions.”

What is the secret of their success?

“I really don’t know. Maybe it is because we combine well and it definitely helps that we get along very well and are both ‘chilled out’. When we are in the boat we have only one goal and that is to get it to move at maximum speed. We are not trying all sorts of fancy things,” Van der Westhuizen explained.

How does it feel to be one of the youngest world champions?

“The moment when we won the gold medal was rather weird. It was as if we could not believe it.”

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Louis Hattingh & Jean van der Westhuizen K2 Under-18 Champs MICHAELHOUSE EXPLORE. EDUCATE.EXCEL.

“I never expected it to happen, so I was shocked at first. It was only a few hours later that we fully realised that we were really the world champions.

Then it felt awesome. I was very happy,” Van der Westhuizen said.

Hattingh said that once the realisation that they were world champions had sunk in, he was on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

“There are no words to describe the feeling. It was just amazing to realise that all our hard work and sacrifices had paid off.”

In July Hattingh was also a star performer for South Africa at the ICF Junior and Under-23 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. The Maritzburg College schoolboy missed out by a tiny margin on the under-18 A-Final in Szeged. This left him with mixed emotions and he admits that he was both disappointed and encouraged.

High Performance Programme at the Natal Canoeing Club (NCC).

Thanks to support from the Lotto and KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, the NCC is able to serve the region’s leading paddling talents.

“That day I did my personal best twice, first in the morning and again in the afternoon. It was disappointing to miss the A-Final by four-thousandths of a second but, on the other hand, it was the best I could do so I couldn’t complain at all.”

Mustard lauded Hattingh’s temperament, saying he produced his best when it mattered.

Ultimately, he finished second in the B-Final, crossing the line just 0.648 seconds behind the winner.

Hattingh credits his success to the

When Hattingh describes his K1 race at the World Championships, it becomes clear that he has a big match temperament. He started cramping right from the first lap and the cramping never stopped.

A lesser canoeist would have decided to give up and put an end to the suffering, but not Hattingh.

“Even though I was experiencing some real discomfort, I was determined not to give up. I was in the fourth position and I knew that if I could hang in there, I had a realistic chance to medal. My race turned into a battle of mind over matter.”

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Importantly, national sprint coach, Craig Mustard, is also a member of NCC and he is always available to guide the paddlers.

“Louis certainly has the best bigmatch temperament. He is able to put everything together on the day and deliver something.

He does not have to win every session.

Feature: Canoeing

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Balint Vekassy

He listens to the training plan and follows it and during the big competitions he does not get caught up by all the fuss. He is calm, reading a book, focussing on his race.”

According to Mustard, the standard of paddling at NCC is growing in leaps and bounds, thanks to a focused and professional approach, the improvement of facilities, and the assistance of specialists who are co-opted to deliver their services at the club.

psychologist, everything in one. Now that we have a team of professionals working with us, we can expect to achieve professional results. With such a great team to support them, it is only realistic to expect much better results from these guys. With all the professional help available, everyone will certainly improve.”

“The NCC has taken sprinters and marathon paddlers out of the amateur leagues. We always thought that we were professional, but we were in fact training like amateurs,” Mustard explained.

“As an example, I used to try to be the strength coach,

“Even though I was experiencing some real discomfort, I was determined not to give up. My race turned into a battle of mind over matter.” Louis Hattingh

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gerhard swarts ‘Clear eyes, full heart can’t lose’

“Clear eyes,

full heart,

can’t lose” Gerhard

“I most definitely did not pop out my mother at birth screaming: “Look Ma: hands and feet not working.”

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S

w

arts

Feature: rugby

Words: Wilhelm de Swart | Photos: Provided

“I have learned that to gain respect, you need to give respect.”

“In fact my first words were “Pale toe”. I was a born sportsman and a damn good one at that. It remains ironic that it was this very talent that handicapped me and sentenced me to spending my life in a wheelchair.”

These are the words Gerhard Swarts wrote for Henning Gericke’s book: Inspiring Champions.

The 26 year old technical adviser at the Valke Rugby Union certainly has an awesome story to tell.

By the time Swarts was 14 he had already suffered four major setbacks which dramatically changed his life forever.

When Swarts was ten years old his Dad died in a car accident.

His sister survived the accident but was left a quadriplegic. Three years later a Black Widow bomb exploded in his hand during an athletics meeting, leaving him with only two fingers on his left hand. The young boy did not realize that he was holding a real bomb. He thought it was only a flare and wanted to use it to create a smoke.

But the worst was still to come.

During an Under-15A game

between the teams of Hoërskool Kanonkop and Dr. Malan he was tackled.

“I broke the line as any good inside centre should, but was tackled by the fullback. While I was lying on the ground somebody landed on my neck. I heard three snapping sounds and immediately realized that I was going to be paralyzed.”

But if ever there is somebody who has refused to quit on life, it is Swarts. He has distinguished himself during the past few years as one of the most talented technical advisers in South African rugby.

Pretoria. From then on there was no way of stopping him.

He coached the Under-20 rugby team of the Kiaat Hostel at the University of Pretoria to win the Steinhof Hostel League championships for two consecutive years. It was a first for the hostel.

Swarts also worked as a technical adviser for the teams of Harlequins Rugby Club and Hoërskool Waterkloof, as well as for the Tukkies team that won the Carlton Cup in 2011.

He readily admits that the first few years after the accident were not easy, but he was prepared to face the tough challenges head on.

Despite the fact that he had only the use of his shoulders and biceps, he was selected to do a degree in Sports and Recreation at the University of

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gerhard swarts ‘Clear eyes, full heart can’t lose’

“Youngsters should be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not they want to play rugby” His expertise did not go unnoticed and he was approached by the Valke to help them.

A definite highlight for him this season was helping the Valke to qualify for the Absa Currie Cup First Division final. Unfortunately they were beaten by the Griffons by 23-21 in the final, but Swarts remains quietly confident that the Valke have what it takes to become the champions in the foreseeable future.

According to Swarts he is often approached by concerned moms who want him to warn their sons about the dangers of playing rugby.

“The moms would tell their sons that this is what can happen to them should they continue to play rugby. I always feel obliged to tell the moms not to do so.

Youngsters should be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not they want to play rugby.”

“As far as I am concerned, rugby is a wonderful game. It is actually a lifestyle and I am privileged to be part of it. What I love about rugby is the camaraderie on and off the field.”

“Players often thank me for being an inspiration to them, but they are wrong. They are the ones who are an inspiration to me.

They taught me what rugby is all about.”

Is it difficult for you, being a quadriplegic, to coach rugby?

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“Every time I start working with new players I can sense that they have their doubts about what a guy in a wheelchair, who cannot even walk, can possibly know about playing rugby.”

“I have learned that to gain respect, you need to give respect.

This is the core to my approach when I am coaching or giving advice. I can honestly say that I have never had problems as far as discipline is concerned.”

To be a technical adviser and a rugby coach is definitely not your regular eight-to-five job.

According to Swarts, he spends hours in the evenings to analysing and strategising rugby games.

“The challenge is always to stay abreast of the latest developments and then implement what you have learned in your team’s game plan.”

Swarts has no hesitation in thanking his Mom, Elize, for her love and support.

“She is, without a doubt, the person with the greatest influence in my career. After my Dad died, she continued to watch me playing rugby and after my accident, she never became averse to rugby. She has always supported me financially, as well as emotionally, to help me to achieve the goals I set for myself.

She actually still watches rugby games with me and sometimes helps with the recording of games.”

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“She is a real “Iron Lady” and I am very fortunate to have her as a mom.”

Feature: rugby

Words: Wilhelm de Swart | Photos: Provided

In reply to a question about his ability to continue having such a positive outlook on life in spite of what has happened, Swarts explained that his life is based on four ‘pillars’.

“The first and most important is my relationship with God. I know that through His support I am capable of anything I put my mind to. When I am emotionally down, it is important for me to remember some of the positive things that have happened in my life and then I begin to feel better.

“Friends and family are also important for me. I always try to surround myself with positive people.

game and I can relate to that, but what really changed my life was one of the themes of the series.

It is actually a motto that says: ‘Clear eyes, full heart can’t lose’ and I always try to explain it to my players. “’Clear eyes’ means that your focus should be on God and on the goals you set yourself, while ‘full heart’ means that whatever you set out to do you should do with a 100% commitment. If you do that, you have an excellent chance of succeeding. In other words you ‘can’t lose’. Even if you should lose, it is not the end of the world, as long as you can derive something positive from the game.

“What is also very important for me is to dream big. If you cannot dream any longer, it means that you are emotionally dead.

Not only do I dream every day, but I am also slowly but surely beginning to live my dream. I have no doubt that I will achieve the goals I have set for myself. One day I want to be involved with the Springbok team, either as a technical advisor or as the coach.

I see no reason why I cannot coach the Springboks if I am good enough.

“The important aspect of dreaming is to realise that you have to be prepared to work hard to make things happen. Nothing comes easily in life.”

“One of my favourite TV shows is Friday Night Lights. One of the characters was paralyzed during a

“Players often thank me for being an inspiration to them, but they are wrong.

They are the ones who are an inspiration to me.

They taught me what rugby is all about.”

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Castle Lager Soccer Academy Finding Bafana’s Future Stars

Castle Lager’s Football Academy has unearthed some real football talent over the past few seasons and the initiative continues to gather huge momentum in the South African football landscape.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Soccer

Words: Neil Greigg | Photos: Backpage Media

The future looks bright because the players that we selected

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Castle Lager Soccer Academy Finding Bafana’s Future Stars

Each season a massive talent hunt for the best footballers across South Africa’s talent pool, to form the nucleus of the 23-man Castle Lager Football Academy squad in January, kicks off in earnest.

This year’s camp starts in January 2015 and the Castle Lager Academy Scouts have just fine tuned a squad of 45 players to be trimmed down over December until they reach 23 by January.

As part of Castle Lager’s commitment to Bafana Bafana and the development of football in South Africa, they funded a Talent Identification Programme that runs for most of the calendar year, where SA Football Legends and Scouts from the 9 regions in the country travel far and wide to find undiscovered talent, between the ages of 18 and 21, in some of South Africa’s lower tier and regional football structures.

Once this elite group of 23 players, known as the Castle Lager SuperStars, is selected they will play a series of matches against Premier Soccer League and National First Division teams, which will focus both media and football scouts attention on them.

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Former Bafana Bafana striker Philemon ‘Chippa’ Masinga is one of the chief Scouts and spoke about the process of selecting the 45 players at the end of November to cap off a great year. “We’re proud to have reached this far with the help of the other scouts who travelled around the country to watch these boys in action,” says Masinga.

“I believe with this initiative, we’ll manage to source great players for the future, this is a brilliant initiative aimed at developing youngsters. Although the route has been mixed with interesting times, challenges were also there because some of the players come from poor backgrounds. Where there are no football facilities, their fields are not looking good at all some do not even get good coaching.

I’m saying this not undermining anyone but the boys lacked basic football skills, we had to work on those things because most of them are already at 18 or 19. We had to teach the boys a lot about football, the basics, how to behave as a professional because that’s our duty and responsibility,” added Masinga.

“The future looks bright because the players that we selected are showing signs of becoming great football players, the talent is there. The attitude is there and we’ll keep working with them in ensuring that they become better players for the future.”

The attention given to finalising the 23-man Castle Lager SuperStars squad is immense. Both Tovey and Masinga were part of Bafana Bafana’s 1996 Africa Cup of National winning side and bring a wealth of experience to the project.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Soccer

Words: Neil Greigg | Photos: Backpage Media

As the Castle Lager Football Academy chief scout, Tovey says it wasn’t difficult to select the 45 players to undergo the camp in January 2015. Following an intense scouting process in the SAB regional leagues and the highly competitive Varsity Cup football tournament, the Castle Lager scouts have named the 45 (semi-finalists) players who could be part of the exclusive academy camp.

Tovey spoke after selecting the 45 players from all nine provinces in Milpark, Johannesburg on Monday, November 24 and said it was easy in the sense that they saw the players in action. “The majority of the players we’ve selected are already rated and seen so it wasn’t a tremendously a hard job,” said Tovey. “We have a talented group of players and we have scouts from all the regions, nine provinces of the country and they come to the tournament (interprovincial in July). They get an idea of what we need in each position so they have an idea of what players we need and the right talent we need.”

Although Tovey says there are players who can catch the eye of the scouts, he admits that there are also great players who can rise to the occasion and surprise the scouts. “They have an eye and idea of who is needed and that allows them to put these names forward for the final 45 selection,” added Tovey.

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Castle Lager Soccer Academy Finding Bafana’s Future Stars

“They’re working weekends, watching respective games (SAB League) and sometimes they’re looking for a certain player, but find out that another player pops up and catches their eye. They recommend these types of players and we then look for better, quality players during the late stages towards December.”

The 45 players from all provinces are set to converge for training sessions at the Wits University’s education campus in Parktown, Johannesburg. They will train under the watchful eye of Tovey and Masinga where the final 23 men will be chosen.

After that, the players have the world at their feet and a range of opportunities that most young footballers can only dream of.

Sidebar Graduates from the Castle Lager Football Academy Siphiwe Mtswnei

Now signed with Kaizer Chiefs

Chase Parsons

Now signed with SuperSport United

Deolin Mekoa

Now signed with Maritzburg United

Rafiq de Goede

Now signed with Vasco da Gama

Therlo Moosa

Now signed with Mamlodi Sundowns

Sidebar Who are the Scouts?

Neil Tovey

ex-Bafana Bafana captain

Phil Masinga

ex-Bafana Bafana striker

Calvin Petersen

ex-Bafana Bafana striker

Helman Mkhalele

ex-Bafana Bafana winger

Klaas-Jan Top Roscoe Krieling Tebogo Coangae Domald Mojaki Thomas Nare

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Zubayr Hamza Double Ton Hamza batting up a storm

Double Ton

Hamza batting up

a storm

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: cricket

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Provided

What does Zubayr Hamza have in common with Graeme Pollock?

South African cricket fundis will undoubtedly know that Graeme Pollock is considered to be one of South Africa’s great cricket maestros, but who the heck is Zubayr Hamza? The not-so-easy answer to the question is that both batsmen managed to score double-centuries in first-class cricket before the age of twenty.

Hamza, who plays for Western Province’s Amateur side, became the latest member of the exclusive Under-20 Club of players when he scored an unbeaten 202 runs against Namibia in Windhoek in October.

His double ton occurred at the age of 19 years and 113 days. This puts him behind Johann Myburgh (17 years and 122 days), Graeme Pollock (19 years and 19 days) and Xenophon Balaskas (19 years and 86 days). Hylton Ackerman, Dean Elgar and Ken Viljoen also accomplished the feat well before their 20th birthdays.

Hamza, who matriculated at Rondebosch High, still finds it difficult to believe that he was able to achieve one of cricket’s prestigious milestones so early in his career.

Hamza reached his doublecentury with a well-struck boundary in the 122nd over. His 202* came off 294 balls and contained 20 boundaries and three 6’s.

“I never thought I would be able to achieve such a feat while still only 19. I only wanted to prove to myself that I was able to compete at a senior amateur level. The fact that I scored 200 runs proves to me that I am good enough. Actually there are no words to describe how it felt to

score a double-century. Nobody thinks about scoring a doublecentury when going out on the field to bat. My first goal was just not to lose my wicket too quickly. Having achieved this, I started focussing on getting to fifty and then to hundred runs. After reaching a hundred it tended to become mentally tough. A batsman cannot help relaxing somewhat after reaching three figures and can easily lose concentration and focus. The closer I got to 200 runs the more nervous I became.”

Hamza’s talents are not restricted only to cricket and batting for hours on end. He is an equally talented hockey player.

During last year’s Boys Under-18 Hockey Inter- Provincial Tournament Hamza was one of the stars of the week. Having topped the goal scorers list, it did not come as a surprise when the talented lad from Rondebosch was named as Best Striker. Being multi-talented

in sports brings about its own problems. At the end of last year he faced a slight dilemma when he had to choose between playing cricket or hockey. It certainly was not an easy decision to make because Hamza represented WP at a provincial level in both sports from a young age.

“Although I will always be passionate about hockey, I chose to play cricket because I want to try to make a career of it.”

It was Hamza’s dad, Nizaam, who encouraged him to start playing cricket.

“The most important thing I have learned from my dad is never to underestimate your opponents.”

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Zubayr Hamza Double Ton Hamza batting up a storm

“The toughest part of playing cricket is the mental side.”

“In spite of the fact that nobody in my family played cricket, my dad and a friend decided that their sons should take up the game. They took us to a local club where it was not long before I started blossoming as a cricketer. I don’t think my dad ever expected me to be a star. He just wanted me to enjoy myself.

“My dad has undoubtedly been the most important influence on my career until now. Any cricket coach can teach you technique, but the toughest part of playing cricket is the mental side. That is where my dad is helping me.

When you play cricket you are bound to go through a slump at some stage and begin to doubt your own abilities.

At times it is difficult to make a ‘comeback’. My dad knows how to get me back on track.

But you should also not overestimate them. He always emphasizes that I should just focus on playing my own game. For him it is a case of controlling the controllable. My dad also taught me to be patient and to never back down from a challenge.”

In what should be no surprise Hamza considers AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla to be his role models.

“There is something in the technique and approach to the game in each of them which I tried to implement in my game.”

“The most important thing I have learned from my dad is never to underestimate your opponents.

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Feature: cricket

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Provided

Zubayr Hamza statistics Full Name Zubayr Hamza

Born June 19, 1995, Cape Town, Cape Province

Current Age 19 years 143 days

Major Teams South Africa Schools XI; Western Cape Invitation XI; Western Province; Western Province Under-19s

Batting Style Right-hand bat

Bowling Style Legbreak

Education Rondebosch Boys High School

Batting and fielding averages

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF

SR

100 50 4s 6s Ct St

First-class 5

8 2

365 202* 60.83 574 63.58 1

1 42 3 3 0

List A

1

1 0

25

25 25.00 38 65.78 0

0 3 0 0 0

Twenty20 4

3 0

51

47 17.00 46 110.86 0 0 2 1 2 0

Bowling averages

Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10

First-class 5 2 30 22 0 - - - 4.40 - 0 0 0 List A 1 - - - - - - - - - - - Twenty20 4

1 12

12

1

1/12 1/12 12.00 6.00 12.0 0

0 0

First-class debut KwaZulu-Natal Inland v Western Province at Pietermaritzburg, Feb 27 - Mar 1, 2014

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Jono Wing and Stu Hogg Paracanoeing’s bright future comes to the fore

Hilton College Jono Wing

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Feature: paracanoeing

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Balint Vekassy & Dave Macleod

Paracanoeing’s bright future comes to the fore Jono Wing and Stuart Hogg

Varsity College Stuart Hogg

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Jono Wing and Stu Hogg Paracanoeing’s bright future comes to the fore

“It’s something different but it’s actually quite fun once you get into it!” Stu Hogg

The Paralympic Games have never acknowledged paracanoeing as a discipline, however, that will all change in 2016 at the Rio De Janeiro Games and South Africa have got two paracanoeists – Jono Wing and Stuart Hogg – eyeing spots on the South African team that will travel to South America for the showpiece event.

Wing was a member of the South African team that went to the recent ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Russia in August and the youngster was unlucky to not advance past the first round of the K1 (LTA) Men’s 200m after being drawn in a stiff heat and was knocked out of the competition, despite going faster than two others who qualified in weaker heats.

Wing’s coach, Craig Mustard, is excited by the arrival of a state of the art, brand new boat that the young star will be competing in from here on.

Mustard feels that with hard work and this new equipment, the goal of competing at the Rio Paralympics is definitely not out of reach, even though he is younger than the majority of the other competitors.

“As a 17-year old, the boat that Jono (Wing) was paddling at the World Champs was just too big for him!” Mustard said.

“With him paddling against older guys, he needs to have a boat that is suited to him and this new one is great because

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he lacks the weight the other paddlers carry.”

Stu Hogg had already shown great promise as a paddler when he represented South Africa as an able-bodied athlete, before an unfortunate car crash left him with one side of his body weaker than the other.

Not willing to sit back and let life pass him by though, he got back into a boat with intentions of paddling for his country once more.

A little way down the road Hogg’s goal was achieved when he was chosen for his country for a second time, this time as a paracanoeist, and he went on to compete at the Sprint World Championships.

Unfortunately the determined athlete’s dream was short lived, as he soon realised that his hampered upper-body strength meant he would struggle to compete with the more able paracanoeists.

Through a state-of-the-art boat and a revised competition category that is more suited to

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

his disability, Hogg’s dream of reaching the top is however back on track once more.

“The new boat is based on a traditional Tahitian outrigger,” Hogg said. “It’s almost like paracanoe’s equivalent of C1 paddling, where you only paddle on the one side and then you’ve got an outrigger which helps with stability because a lot of the disabled athletes have problems with balance.”

“It’s something different but it’s actually quite fun once you get into it!”

Hogg explains that it was quite an easy decision to change to the outrigger type of paddling due to his disability and with a more specific boat to use, he has set his sights high, while still not expecting too much at such an early stage of his career.

“I don’t have that upper body power for the sprints and as much as I have been training, I haven’t been getting

Feature: paracanoeing

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Balint Vekassy & Dave Macleod

competitive times. Having one side of my body stronger than the other, it just seemed logical to change over and use my stronger side to power the boat.”

“It’s early days, but I’m hoping that my times will get a bit more competitive internationally. We’ll just have to see how it goes next year though,” a cautious Hogg mentioned.

Boat manufacturers, Nelo, have come on board in helping Hogg out with his new craft and although the idea has been in the pipeline for a while, he has never had the chance to paddle in a boat like this previously due to its unique design.

“It was always one of those things that we spoke about trying but there just aren’t any boats of that sort in South Africa. A lot of the overseas companies make them; however it was completely unfamiliar territory so it was a bit of a gamble trying to bring one out for me, having not tried it before.

“When Nelo brought out the boat to South Africa this year then I knew what I was dealing with and so I spoke to Craig Mustard.

“While he was overseas he chatted to the guys from Nelo and the new boat got here about a month and a half ago!” he added.

With the Paralympics on the horizon, Hogg understands that he has his work cut out for him but his goal is to be at Rio in 2016 and he is willing to do what it takes to get there.

“The Paralympics is definitely the goal! It’s going to take some work because I have no idea where I stand and I’m still getting going.

For my times to be competitive I have to be going the same speed in this as I was going in my K1!”

“I know it’s going to be a challenge but I’ve got a lot of time on my hands, so I’m keen to get a good base going now and then see how we go next year,” a focused Hogg concluded.

“The Paralympics is definitely the goal!”

Stu Hogg

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Louis Meintjies The making of a hero

TM

The making of a hero “I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero.”

As luck would have it this song, by Bonnie Tyler, was playing on the radio while I was watching Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka) battling it out with some of the world’s best cyclists during the 14th stage of one of cycling’s three Grand Tours, the Vuelta a Espana.

The South African road cycling champion was part of a breakaway. When they started up the dreaded final climb, said to be one of the steepest in Vuelta history, they had a lead of 5:45. They still had some three kilometres to go before the ‘real’ climbing would begin but when Meintjes moved to the lead on the 15% section, the group had already been reduced to seven riders.

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Feature: Cycling

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Damian Murphy Media

Tyler’s lyrics seemed to “He’s gotta be sure refer to the fact that South African cycling has been on hold, waiting for a new hero, And it’s gotta be soon ever since the untimely death of the biker Burry Stander And he’s gotta be at themountain beginning of 2013. larger than life,” Ironically Meintjes did not win the 14 th

stage. He finished 5 , merely 42 seconds behind Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp), a former winner of the Giro d’Italia. However, it was the best performance by a South African rider in one of the mountainous stages of a Grand Tour since 1992. th

To prove that his performance was not a fluke, he was again mixing it up with the world’s best climbers two days later. This time around he rubbed shoulders with Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alberto Contador (Tinkov-Saxo), both former Tour de France winners.

Meintjes finished the stage in a credible 16th position.

Tyler’s song concludes –

“Through the wind and the chill and the rain And the storm and the flood I can feel his approach Like the fire in my blood,” These lyrics are relevant to Meintjes’ performances over the past two years. Ever since he had won a silver medal in the Under-23 road race at the World Championships last year, it was predicted that he would be the next real deal for South African cycling.

A visit to the cycling archives for 2014, in search of Meintjes’ exploits, shows that there is merit in this prediction. The following are a few of the headlines that highlight the South African’s heroics.

“Meintjes impresses with fifth place on La Camperona; Meintjes goes close to victory at the Giro del Trentino; Meintjes keen to show off South African jersey.”

However, Meintjes is not one who gets carried away easily when being praised.

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Louis Meintjies The making of a hero

“The Vuelta a Espana was the first time I had an opportunity to race a Grand Tour. It was exciting but it also served as a wakeup call. The tour was extremely hard and it made me realise that I still need to do a lot of hard work. The gap between the level where I am now and the top riders, such as Chris Froome and Alberto Contador, is still substantial.

When asked about his 5th place finish in the 14th stage of the Vuelta, Meintjes said that being in the breakaway was like living in a bubble of concentration.

One of the special moments for Meintjes during the Vuelta was when Chris Froome came to speak to him to find out whether he was OK.

“That’s why I don’t want to make any bold predictions of what I hope to achieve next year. My only goal is to keep on improving every year. If I can do that, I know it will be just a matter of time before I will begin to achieve the results I want.”

“That final climb was incredibly steep. I suddenly realized that I was still feeling good and that I could actually go for the victory.

This not only changed my whole mind-set, but also created a variety of emotions. It was just an incredible day for me.”

“I am not really into role models anymore but I do admire Chris and what he has achieved, so I appreciated that he took time off to talk to me. Actually he spoke to all of us throughout the Tour. He is one of the true gentlemen of the sport and he is very supportive of MTNQhubeka’s goal to become the first team from Africa to qualify for the Tour de France.”

“My only goal is to keep on improving every year.”

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: Cycling

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Damian Murphy Media

Is there a big difference between riding threeweek Grand Tours compared to ten-day tours?

SIDEBAR: OFF THE BIKE WITH LOUIS MEINTJES 1. Who were your favourite sports player and team when you were at school?

• Except for cycling during my last two years of high school I wasn’t really all that much into sport.

• Barlow World with Robbie Hunter 2. Favourite book?

• I like reading but don’t have a favourite book.

3. Meat or fish?

• Meat 4. The first car you ever owned?

• I have never owned a car. I currently borrow my dad’s car, a really old Toyota Camry.

5. Your favourite TV show?

• I enjoy Top Gear 6. If not a professional cyclist, what would you have done career wise?

• I think I would have studied engineering 7. Favourite holiday destination?

• Cape Town 8. Who are your biggest supporters?

• Mom and Dad

“No not really. As a cyclist you get tired up to a point and then everything seems to level out.

This means that there was not a huge difference between how tired I was after the first week of the tour and how tired I was after three weeks. I guess it is because, being a cyclist, you are used to being on your bike for hours on end.

“What did get to me, however, was what happened off the bike. Small things start to irritate you, such as the constant travelling and the amount of food a cyclist has to eat all the time to keep up his energy levels. In fact, you have to handle a whole group of people while you are off the bike.”

Apart from his 5th place finish in stage 14 of the Vuelta, Meintjes also considers his 2nd place finish in the final stage of the Monte Bondone at the Giro del Trentino as a definite highlight.

He did enough to win the ‘best young rider’ competition and he also came oh so close to an important stage victory.

Because no race radios are allowed in the Giro del Trentino, Meintjes had little idea what was happening behind him and just focused on trying to win the stage.

However, Mikel Landa (Astana) gradually reduced the distance between them and, with only two kilometres to go, he caught up with Meintjes and passed him.

Inside the final kilometre the Basque climber kicked away and opened a hundred-metre gap that allowed him to win alone, 10 seconds ahead of Meintjes.

“I see it as one of my best results. In fact I had a super day on the bike and to come so close to winning was definitely a confidence booster.”

The one regret Meintjes has as a professional cyclist is that he has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world but had no time to appreciate the scenery.

“As a professional cyclist my life is restricted to hotel rooms and my bike. When racing you don’t take note of the scenery because your major concern is not to crash or be caught off guard by an unexpected attack. I am aware that I have raced past some historic landmarks but don’t even ask me about them because I won’t be able to tell you anything.

I guess I will have to go on a proper holiday one day to revisit the places through which I had raced, so that I can appreciate the scenery.”

Meintjes attacked with five kilometres to go on the spectacular, but constant, 19km climb of Monte Bondone. He opened a 30-second gap on the group containing race leader Cadel Evans (BMC), also a former Tour de France winner, and the other favourites.

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Sport Science and Medical Unit

ADVENTURE-BASED LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES What is adventure-based learning?

How does it work?

It is based on the principle of learning through experience. It typically includes creating an experience, then reflecting on that experience, and finally knowledge is gained by transforming the experience into something that can be applied in future real-world situations.

It is the use of adventure-based activities for learning, focussing specifically on personal and team development.

Adventure-based activities: • Low ropes course: incorporating various challenges that take place on or a short distance off the ground.

• Amazing race: incorporating a combination of problem solving and decision making challenges as part of a set course to be completed.

What are the benefits?

• • • •

Shared knowledge and collaborative learning from all members in the group.

Breaks away from the norm of passive learning through lectures and notes.

An opportunity to apply knowledge rather than just recite knowledge.

To modify behaviour to improve your effectiveness.

Adventure Programmes we offer: PROGRAMME

Team Building

Performance Enhancement

Adjustment

Leadership

Shadowmatch or MBTI

DESCRIPTION

The main aim of this programme is to address team building themes in newly formed or existing teams.

The main aim of this programme is to experience and apply a performance development approach using the activities.

The main aim of this programme is to address adjustment related themes when you find yourself in a new environment.

The main aim of this programme is to address leadership experiences and themes.

The main aim of this programme is to use the adventure activities as a way to experience and apply Shadowmatch results.

COMPONENTS

• • • • •

• • • •

• Leadership development • Awareness of relationships • Roles between leaders and followers

• Address the 19 habits of the Shadowmatch assessment.

Goal setting.

Role identification.

Team processes.

Interpersonal relations.

Team problem solving.

• Task focus.

• Present moment focus.

• Experiential acceptance.

• Values and goals.

• Commitment and motivation.

Emotional support.

Experiencing change.

Expectations and obligations.

New environments and culture

Description of Shadowmatch: Shadowmatch is a tool that measures behavioural habits and compares these to a benchmark of the top performers in that specific environment.

Behavioural patterns are crucial in developing competency in executing of a person’s skills. Shadowmatch allows for the prediction of whether the situation will allow a person’s habits to function optimally, allowing all energy to be used in executing of skills and developing competency.

For information and bookings contact: Karla Brown on karla.brown@hpc.co.za

HPC Nike nurturing young athletics talent

nurturing

young athletics

talent

A quick glance at the international results, as well as the international rankings, shows that South Africa’s sprinters have been underperforming during the past decades.

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Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

Feature: athletics

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Reg Caldecott & Provided

However, due to the work that is being done by the coaches of the Nike Athletics Academy at the hpc (high performance centre), chances are good that this will soon change.

Since 1992 South Africa’s 800m athletes have been the most successful. They won two gold medals, four silver medals and a bronze at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Mostly thanks to the heroics of Hestrie Cloete, South Africa won three gold and two silver medals in the high jump. The 400m hurdles event was the third most successful with one silver and two bronze medals.

During the same time span no South African sprinter was able to win an individual medal, but as a team, they won three medals in the relays (4x100 and 4x400).

According to Lindsey Parry, head coach at the Nike Academy, it has at long last been established why South Africa’s top sprinters constantly fail to run times that are internationally competitive at the World Championships (youth, junior and senior) and the Olympic Games.

“In a study that was done by the hpc we noticed that our sprinters make their biggest mistakes right at the start. We always thought the problem was their reaction time, but we now know that their first few steps out of the blocks were inadequate,” Parry said.

“If we can rectify these small things, we will soon see regular top-ten times.”

It has been one year since the Nike Athletics Academy began to operate and Parry is satisfied with the progress made by the young athletes.

“We have had a good year from a results point of view. I am confident that our sprinters will

begin to run faster during the last quarter of the year.

“I am over the moon as far as the results of our middle-distance athletes are concerned. Although most of the athletes are still very young, you will soon be hearing about some of them.

“During our first year it was mainly about developing and laying the groundwork to enable our athletes to handle the workload and go forward. The key difference between our sprinters, particularly when they are compared to international sprinters, is the amount of hard work they are capable of doing.

“Next year we will probably have about 70 young athletes in the Nike Academy, of whom 40 to 45 will be middle-distance athletes and the rest sprinters.

“If some of the athletes we are working with now should not make it as sprinters they might be able to transfer to jumping.

“Our main purpose is to develop athletics in South Africa.

Realistically South Africa will not become a dominant force in athletics mainly because we are just not a big enough country.

Therefore, our aim should be to become a dominant force in a handful of events.”

A major disappointment for Parry is that they were not able to identify more talented young athletes from rural areas.

“In future we actually want to steer away from taking kids who are in established schools. Therefore, if a kid is in a good school with good coaches, we will probably not help him, unless the school itself brings the kid to us.

“We will attempt to get more raw, rural talent, even if it takes us two to three years to develop them. At the Nike Academy we have the time to do so.”

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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TuksSport

Hettie de Villiers (TuksSport School) “It’s a dream come true.”

HIGH SCHOOL

TuksSport HIGH SCHOOL

It’s a dream come true Hettie de Villiers, principal, does not hesitate to use these words when she describes her feelings about the fact that, for the first time since its inception 13 years ago, the TuksSport School will become a proper school next year with its own buildings and own ethos.

“I know it is a cliché to say that ‘it’s a dream come true’, but for all of us who are involved with the school, these words say it all. For the past ten years we have been scheming, trying to find out how to go about building a proper school, but it was to no avail because we were unable to get the necessary funding to go ahead. Now, at long last, we have a donor who shares our vision and passion about making a difference in the lives of talented children, not only in sports but on an academic level as well,” De Villiers said.

If everything goes according to plan, TuksSport School will move from the Groenkloof Campus to the LC de Villiers sports grounds in August next year.

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Feature: School sPORT

SS

Words: Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos: Reg Caldecott & hpc

“One of the plus points of this move will be that the school will be able to develop its own character for the first time. In other words, it will become a school with which both the pupils and teachers can associate themselves. This is very important, because we want the children to feel proud of their school and its achievements.”

The TuksSport School started off in the rugby clubhouse, after which, it was moved to an office in the hpc headquarters. From there, it was moved to the offices that are currently used by the hpc physiotherapists, before finally being moved to Groenkloof.

It is interesting to note that during the 13 years of its existence the school has achieved a 100% matric pass rate for all but one year.

De Villiers is adamant that the achievement of good academic results is equally as important for the learners as it is to excel on the different sports fields.

“For me, personally, it is even more important to achieve good academic results. I always place much emphasis on the fact that any sports career, no matter how good the athlete is, can last only a few years. There are never any guarantees in sports, because the career of a sports star could be ended abruptly because of an injury - and then what? That is when it is important to have a good academic qualification to fall back on.”

De Villiers’s message did not fall on deaf ears, because quite a number of the school’s players, who went on to play for Banyana Banyana, took time off from playing to first get a degree before resuming their soccer careers.

The list of former pupils who went on to excel in the South African sports arena, as well as internationally, is quite impressive.

Wian Sullwald (triathlon), Andile Jali, George Maluleka and Portia Modise (all soccer) are names that immediately come to mind.

This year Brandon Gildenhuys, Dylan Naidoo, Burt Gildenhuys and Marco Steyn caused quite a stir when they won the South African High School Golf Tournament. They are also the current GautengNorth High School Champions.

According to Sullwald, who became the junior word triathlon champion the year after he matriculated, he is not so sure whether he would have been able to do so if he had been in any other school.

“One of the best decisions I ever made was to come to the TuksSport School, because it enabled me to train longer and harder without neglecting my school work at all.

Game On Magazine, December 2014 / January 2015: Issue 12

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TuksSport

Hettie de Villiers (TuksSport School) “It’s a dream come true.”

HIGH SCHOOL

The support I received from the teachers at the TuksSport School made it possible for me to compete internationally for long periods of time without falling behind in my school work.”

“One teacher even allowed me to go to her house over a weekend so that she could help me to catch up with my school work. This is certainly not something that happens often. It also helped that our classes were quite small, so the teacher could spend quality time with each of us individually.”

Sullwald admits that it was difficult for him to be taught in English at first.

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“I now realize that it was all for the best. When you compete internationally everything is in English, whether you like it or not. When you are being interviewed it is important to speak English fluently because you don’t want to embarrass your sponsors or your country. It is true that you never get a second opportunity to make a first impression.”