Indie, Pop, Rock (ollie, thorpe, Miles, ...)
Indie (St Vincent, Rufus Wainwright, Cass McCombs, ...)
Indie, Rock (The Breeders, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Joy Division, ...)
Rock, Roots (The Black Keys, muddy waters, Chris Wilson, ...) HP Unit « Maties Sport High Performance
Archive for the ‘HP Unit’ Category
As a Matie, Edwill is living his dream : 2016-10-27
Foto: Thys Lombard
As a student at Stellenbosch University the 19-year-old Edwill van der Merwe is living his dream.
“I always wanted to be a Matie,” says the Maties rugby player with pride.
Van der Merwe made his debut for Steinhoff Maties this year. He also played for the Western Province u21 team after last year being part of the Western Province Rugby Institute based at Stellenbosch Academy of Sport. Van der Merwe also started his Sports Science at the University last year already.
“I must say that the fact that I have been able to do a few subjects last year and finish it made my life this year so much easier.”
It was a very busy year for the House Neethling resident. After he made his debut for Maties in the Varsity Cup, he was also selected for the Junior Springboks. Although the South African u20 team did not have the best Junior World Championships, it was for Van der Merwe nothing less than successful. He did not only score one of the best tries in the tournament, but was also one of only two South Africans who were included in the tournament’s Dream Team. The other player was Curwin Bosch.
Van der Merwe this year mostly played for the WP u21 team, but he made his senior WP debut in the Currie Cup tournament’s qualifying phase.
“I will never forget my debut for Maties. It was unbelievable. And to score my first try in the Maroon jersey … is something I have dreamed off ever since I was 12 years old and a ball boy at the Danie Craven Stadium for Maties games. I remember staring open-mouthed at the players and simply knowing that one day I want to pull that jersey over my head.”
Along with his Maties debut being a Junior Springbok was another highlight of 2016 for the fast winger. “It was not the best tournament for the team, but I had a great time learning and experiencing so much.”
Van der Merwe does not only speak with great enthusiasm about Maties Rugby. He is definitely a proud sportsman and student. “I enjoy my studies. Like I always knew I wanted to play for Maties, I knew that I wanted to study Sports Science so I can be a biokineticist. It is going very well thus far. It’s hard work not only to study, but also to find the balance. But I like challenges and am getting an incredible amount of support from the Maties Sport’s High Performance programme. As HP sport Maties Rugby is on a high level and it means a lot. I know I will be exposed to and experience the best.”
Van der Merwe was named the WP u21 Player of the Year at the WP Rugby Awards and was also named the Maties Young Player of the Year.
Posted in HP Unit, Steinhoff Maties Rugby | No Comments »
Edwill leef sy droom by Maties : 2016-10-27
As ‘n student aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch leef die 19-jarige Edwill van der Merwe sy droom.
“Ek wou nog altyd ‘n Matie gewees het,” vertel die Maties-rugbyspeler met trots.
Van der Merwe het vanjaar sy debuut vir Steinhoff Maties gemaak. Hy speel ook vir die Westelike Provinsie se o.21-span nadat hy verlede jaar deel van die Westelike Provinsie Rugby Instituut gebaseer by die Stellenbosch Akademie vir Sport was. Van der Merwe het reeds verlede jaar begin om Sportwetenskap aan die US te swot.
“Ek moet sê die feit dat ek al verlede jaar ‘n paar vakke kon doen en klaarmaak het vanjaar my lewe soveel makliker gemaak.”
Dit was omtrent ‘n besige jaar vir die Huis Neethling-inwoner. Ná hy sy debuut vir Maties in die Varsitybeker-reeks gemaak het, is hy ook gekies vir die Junior Springbokke. Ofskoon die Suid-Afrikaanse o.20-span nie die beste Junior Wêreld Kampioenskapstoernooi gehad het nie, was dit vir Van der Merwe niks minder nie as baie suksesvol. Hy het nie net een van die beste drieë in die toernooi gedruk nie, maar is ook een van net twee Suid-Afrikaners wat in die toernooi se Droomspan ingesluit is. Die ander speler wat Curwin Bosch.
Van der Merwe het vanjaar grotendeels vir die WP o.21-span gespeel, maar het ook sy debuut vir die WP senior span gemaak in die Curriebeker-reeks se kwalifiserende fase.
“Ek sal nooit my debuut vir Maties vergeet nie. Dit was ongelooflik. En toe om my eerste drie in die Maroon-trui te druk…is iets waarvan ek al gedroom het toe ek 12 jaar oud was en baljoggie in die Danie Craven-stadion vir Maties-wedstryde was. Ek onthou hoe ek oopmond na die spelers gestaar het en net eenvoudig geweet het, ek wil ook eendag daardie trui oor my kop trek.”
Saam met sy Maties-debuut was sy Junior Springbok ervaring die ander hoogtepunt van 2016 vir die blitsige vleuel. “Dit was nie die beste toernooi vir die span nie, maar ek het ongelooflik baie ervaar en geleer. Dit was ‘n trotste oomblik.”
Van der Merwe praat nie net met groot entoesiasme oor Maties Rugby nie. Hy is beslis ‘n trotse sportman en student. “Ek geniet my studies baie. Net soos ek altyd geweet het ek wil vir Maties speel, het ek geweet dat ek Sportwetenskap wil studeer sodat ek ‘n biokinetikus kan word. Dit gaan tot dusver baie goed. Dit is harde werk nie net om te studeer nie, maar om die balans te vind. Ek hou egter van uitdagings en kry ongelooflik baie ondersteuning van Maties Sport se Hoë Prestasie-program. As HP sport word Maties Rugby op ‘n hoë vlak bedryf en dit beteken baie. Ek weet ek word blootgestel aan net die beste.”
Van der Merwe is as die WP o.21 se Speler van die Jaar aangewys by die WP Rugby-toekennings en is Maties se Jongspeler van die Jaar.
You are currently browsing the archives for the HP Unit category.