Sport at the University of Pretoria is not only about winning, but also about achieving what is best for the athlete.
Toby Sutcliffe, acting CEO OF TuksSport continues to emphasise the need to prepare for life after sport, continually challenging athletes to consciously think about what they will do when the last race has been run, or the final goal scored. His advice remains the same: Be prepared.
"At TuksSport, the aim of athletes is to find a healthy balance in life. Be a hero on the field and excel in your studies," Sutcliffe is fond of saying.
Athletes seem to have taken this advice to heart. The South African 400m-hurdles record holder, LJ van Zyl, is currently completing his second master’s degree, while Rikenette Steenkamp, South African 100m-record holder in the women's 100m-hurdles, has completed her master's degree.
Tatjana Schoenmaker, star swimmer and one of South Africa's most prominent role models in women's sport, completed her BCom financial science studies at the end of last year, while still contemplating what to study next.
One of the genuinely feel-good stories recently is that of the judoka Michaela Whitebooi. When she enrolled at TuksSport High School as 15-year old, she had absolutely no confidence. She even cringed when strangers spoke to her.
It was only when she was on judo mats that Whitebooi felt she belonged . . . where she was prepared to face-up to anyone. She attributes much of her success to the lessons learned from Sutcliffe, Hettie de Villiers (TuksSport High School principal), Nikola Filipov (Judo coach) along with many others at TuksSport, who played a pivotal role in boosting the young judoka’s confidence.
Whitebooi has racked up impressive wins, bringing home gold medals from the African junior and senior championships as well as silver at the African Games. The glimmer of hope to one day represent South Africa at the Tokyo Olympic Games, still exists.
Whitebooi shares that from day one at TuksSport, the aim has always been to make the most of every opportunity. Growing up in Port Elizabeth, she did not have it easy. Losing her father at a young age meant her mother Minnie worked twice as hard to make ends meet.
"If it were not for judo, I would never have had an opportunity to study at Tuks. I would probably have dropped out of school as a lot of my friends did. Where I grew up gangsterism and drugs are a reality. So who knows how my life would have played out?
"Judo has been a means to make something of my life, through it, I got the opportunity to study and get a degree. From the start it was non-negotiable. I had to pass my studies.”
"I am now in the position wherein a year or two from now that I will be able to provide for my family. Although I might not be able to give them the world, I will certainly make sure that their standard of living improves. For this, I will always be grateful to TuksSport."
Every year TuksSport opened up the opportunity for aspiring and established sport stars to fund their studies through the University of Pretoria Sports Performance Support funding.
Click here to find out more and to apply.
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