“The focus at Kovsies isn’t all about winning, but on the development and growth of the players.” These words of Arné Nel, the men’s captain playing in his fifth year for the first team, reveals something of the success recipe of the Kovsies tennis team.

His team set the tone again in 2017 and some members were also rewarded by getting the opportunity to represent South Africa abroad.

Seventh consecutive USSA title
At the USSA championship in June, the Kovsies once again walked away as the student titleholders by finishing the tournament unbeaten. It was the seventh consecutive USSA title for them since 2010 when the men and women started to form a team (there was no tournament in 2016).

The USSA crown was the second one for 2017 as they also outclassed the other universities at an invitational student challenge in Sun City in March. They won all their matches. The depth of Kovsie tennis was showcased here with their second team finishing in fifth position. 

Four members at World Student Games
The university’s No 1 men’s and woman’s players, Nel and Lienke de Kock, made up half of the University Sport South Africa (USSA) tennis team to the World Student Games in Taipei in August. According to Nel it was the first time he got to wear the national colours.

The USSA team was also coached by Marnus Kleinhans, who’s been with Kovsie tennis since 2000. Janine de Kock, another long time servant of Kovsie tennis, acted as the team manager.

• Other Kovsies in Tapei were Janke van der Vyfer (badminton), Kesa Molotsane, Maryke Brits, Hendrik Maartens and Rynardt van Rensburg (all athletics). Godfrey Tenoff of Kovsiesport was the soccer coach.