Determined to see young aspiring rugby players in Kouga prosper in the sports industry, a group of locals from Humansdorp established the Kouga Rugby Academy and have already helped about 80 young players receive bursaries to study at elite schools that focus on developing their sports skills.
Ben Ruiters, co-founder and rugby coach at the rugby academy, said the academy was established in 2012, with the help of the late Christo Vosloo who built Vosloo Park Sport Ground in Humansdorp and donated rugby jerseys and rugby balls to the first group of players.
He said the academy was formed to develop the youth from disadvantaged schools in communities in Kouga and rural areas across the country.
Ruiters said the main aim was to help the youth attain bursaries at good schools where sport was prioritised.
“We started with the aim of affording young people opportunities that they never had,” said Ruiters.
“The idea of the academy has always been to help young people become professional sports men and women.”
Apart from Ruiters, other members who played a vital role in the success of the academy included co-founder, Chandrion Windvogel, Gert Juba, rugby coach, Euclydious Stuurman, rugby coach, Jade Alexander, Nealon Manuel, John Pretorius, Canderice Meshaka, Frank Domingo and Khrisinta Malgas, while members who have since passed were Conraad Staalmeester and Freddy Boesak.
When the academy was initiated 10 years ago, Ruiters said they began developing a small group of young people but have grown to about 80 rugby players aged between five and 20.
Through the academy they have been able to help at least 80 rugby players obtain bursaries at about 14 prestigious schools throughout the country and be afforded the opportunity to play at a professional level.
“With the bursaries received for our players they have received the opportunity to compete competitively in all available settings including Rhino Week, Grant Khomo Week, Craven Week and Varsity Cup,” said Ruiters.
“They have also been able to compete for a junior provincial contract or for contracts abroad.”
In addition to helping aspiring rugby players, he said they have also helped netball players receive bursaries to further their sporting skills.
To assist as many aspiring sports players as they can, Ruiters said that they have broadened their scope to help rugby players and netball players in areas such as Plettenberg Bay and Knysna.
He said that one of the academy’s success stories, Aviwe Mpepo from Humansdorp, was never afforded the opportunity to play in a rugby school league, but with the training he received at their rugby academy he was awarded the opportunity to play for the Toyota Cheetahs and was given a junior contract in September last year.
Furthermore, with help from the academy, rugby players, Elzane Walters, Ethan Liberty and Ambrose Williams from Humansdorp, were all recruited for the Eastern Province Rugby Union u/20 rugby team.
Ruiters said they were also recently informed of the exciting news that at least five of their rugby players have been chosen to play in the Craven Week u/18 rugby team next month in Cape Town.
“The academy is a developmental structure which allows rugby players to improve their skills and potentially see them playing national and international rugby,” said Ruiters.
