These powerful words by the late President Nelson Mandela still rings true today and represents the cornerstone of Lerato Maqena’s professional ethos as a qualified sport scientist. Lerato, an alumna of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark, heads-up the Qena Sports Science Academy as a professional consultant.
Through the academy, Lerato assists clients (which include several high-profile sport clubs), to improve their physical performance and to strengthen their psychological prowess. “Sport represents a high-impact tool for development and continuous to be a powerful agent for social change,” says Lerato and adds that with this in mind she will be hosting the first-ever Science behind Sport Day on 29 July 2017 at her alma mater.
By championing this initiative Lerato wishes to expose students within the fields of Sport Science and Sport Management to industry experts and to create a platform from where students and sporting professionals can network.
Science behind Sport Day
The Science behind Sport Day will take the form of a seminar and the programme includes several high-profile speakers, including:
- Christopher Israel Hlengani
Hlengani is a seasoned cricket player and current fitness trainer and coach at the City of Ekurheleni Cricket Club. Prior to his retirement from the first-class game at the end of the 2014/2015 season, played 166 domestic matches fo the Eastern Cricket Union across the three formats of the game dating back to this debut in 2005/2006. As a left-hand batsman and slow left-arm orthodox spinner, Hlengani scored 2 025 runs and took 184 wickets – of which 108 were first-class wickets with two five-wicket hauls.
Hlengani has also played two successive summers in England, firstly for Norfolk Alliance Division 1 Club Hales and Loddon (2010), followed by a stint in the Birmingham and District Premier League Division 2 for Fordhouses (377 runs at 22.17 and 29 wickets at 20.89).
- Songezo Sonamzi
Songezo Sonamzi is the founder and president of the DiG (Developing International Golf) Foundation - South Africa. Born and raised in Umtata in the Eastern Cape, Songezo travelled to the USA and started his career as a golf caddie. With a scholarship from golfing legend Gary Player, Songezo graduated as a PGA Professional from the PGA of America. As a player and a sport developer he has dedicated his life to introduce the sport of golf to underprivileged South African youngsters.
Songezo is also a PGA Professional-AA for the PGA of South Africa and is one of only a handful of players who holds certification in America and South Africa.
- Christa Flora Kgamphe
Christa is a former Future Coach Winner and talented football player – first at the University of Johannesburg and currently at the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
- Keneilwe Mathibela
Keneilwe – a former Banyana Banyana captain – is the founder and director of the Maestro’s Sports Development and Consulting Company. She is a professional sport scientist and coach – boasting a SAFA and CAF A License. In 2012 she was named as the winner of the Future Championship Coaches Course and acts as a mentor, instructor, facilitator and consultant.
- Annerine Wenhold
Multiple Masters Track Cycling World Champion Annerine Wenhold became the first South African to complete the revered UCI Coaching Diploma in Aigle, Switzerland.
Wenhold, whose accolades include eight World Championship medals, of which five are gold, 38 national cycling medals and 11 national track cycling records, is also a coach to several high performance riders and a former team leader to the National Track Cycling Squad.
Book your seat now!
The seminar is open to all registered students, coaches, sport administrators and professional athletes. Tickets amount to R150 per person. For more information please visit the Qena Sports Science Academy Facebook page.
* Lerato graduated in 2015 after successfully completing a Certificate in Sport Science.
