It is a dance of swift feet and balls travelling in soaring arcs. It is a tapestry of teamwork, sewn together by threads of unrelenting attacks and staunch defence. Netball is a sport like no other, and one the North-West University (NWU) has mastered.
“Take a break, please!” shouts coach Riaan Venter to the players under his direct supervision on the court at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds. It is mid-January, a month and a bit removed from the triumph of the North-West University (NWU) Eagles at the University Sports South Africa (USSA) tennis tournament in Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown.
By: Phenyo Mokgothu and Lerato Tshweu
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus ladies football team has been crowned stream B University Sports South Africa (USSA) champions after they defeated Nelson Mandela University by 1-0 in the final of the tournament hosted at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology from 4 to 8 December 2023.
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus is gearing up to be the host of the 22nd edition of the Southern African Universities Staff Sports Association (SAUSSA) games.
Taking place from 11 to 15 December 2023, the event is poised to draw member universities from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, promoting a spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
Annually convened in December, the games are hosted on a rotational basis among member universities, with staff members participating in recreational sports, arts, and cultural activities.
The North West Sports Awards took place on 18 November, and the North-West University (NWU) scored two top spots.
Onalenna Tsae, alumnus and former coach of the NWU boxing team, clinched the title of Sports Administrator of the Year.
NWU student and a netballer of note, Elmeré van der Berg, walked away with the Sportswoman of the Year award.
Onalenna's accolade recognises her contributions, in particular her pivotal role in the women's commission of the North West Provincial Sport Confederation.
They thrive on adrenaline, excitement and energy, but it is particularly sleep or the lack of it that can impact the performance of athletes. A researcher from the North-West University (NWU) says her research has shown that ensuring good sleeping habits, or sleep hygiene as it is known, not only improves athletic performance and endurance capabilities, but also athletes’ overall well-being.
It was decided on an impulse, but she knew it would work. Like the Springboks and their millions of supporters, she believed.
When captain Siya Kolisi lifted the Webb Ellis Cup after the Springboks beat the All Blacks 12-11 in the final of the IRB Rugby World Cup in France, Nomvula Chasakara, chairperson of the Potchefstroom Campus Student Council (PCSC) at the North-West University (NWU), and her dedicated team had ensured that R100 000 would be allocated to aid struggling students with their registration fees in 2024.
Dino Rangaka, a physical trainer at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Soccer Institute, recently joined Premier Soccer League (PSL) Moroka Swallows FC as a physical trainer for the team.
One has adorned billboards from Cape Town to the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU), the other is a bit more inconspicuous. But there is no denying the impact made by Elmeré van den Berg and Jarred Elliot in their respective sporting codes of netball and badminton during 2023.
Very few eyebrows lifted on Wednesday, 4 October when Vernon Paulo, the NWU’s ace hooker, was crowned as the Player of the Year by the NWU Rugby Institute.
Paulo was rewarded with the Johan Claassen Trophy for his outstanding play in the Varsity Cup, and was exceptional throughout the series. Not only did he score the most tries in the competition – definitely a rare occurrence for a tight forward – but his work ethic and leadership were also some of the main features in the course of the competition.