Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
19 February 2018 Photo Danie Nel
Jeanri-Tine respected for her word on wine
Jeanri-Tine

Jeanri-Tine van Zyl may have the perfect career – an idyllic lifestyle that most of us only dream of. She is her own boss and is required to drink wine on the job! Jeanri-Tine is a respected wine writer. She obtained a BA Media Studies degree at Kovsies, before completing further qualifications in Stellenbosch and Cape Town. She is the owner/director of Feed That Bird Communication Consultants (Pty) Ltd. – a PR, communications and content marketing agency providing creative communication support to some of South Africa’s major wine brands and companies. 

My favourite career quote is by Charles Bukowski: “If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision … And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.” 

“I didn’t realise it at the time,
but those three years at the
UFS were probably some of
my best, most formative years.”

The best career advice I got was probably from well-known wine critic Michael Fridjhon, who told me a story about an exceptionally talented ballerina who gave up ballet when she wasn’t cast as the lead in ‘Giselle’ It might not be what he intended, but I interpreted it as ‘if you can’t be the best in what you do, quit and try something else’.

I didn’t realise it at the time, but those three years at the UFS were probably some of my best, most formative years. I remember the sleepless weekends as IRAWA editor, marching into Ds Kiepie Jaftha’s office armed with demands for better security on campus, the endless wisdom and strength shared by Dr Elsabe Pepler, who was head of Communication at the Department at the time, and sitting on the grass with my friends before a test, knowing that no matter the outcome, we will all be okay…

 

News Archive

Wayde, Karla crowned as KovsieSport’s best
2015-10-21

 

The pride of KovsieSport. From the left, are: Ox Nche
(UFS Junior Sportman of the Year), Karla Mostert
(Senior Sportswoman of the Year), Wayde van Niekerk
(Senior Sportsman of the Year), and Brett Walraven
(on behalf of his sister, Nicole Walraven – Junior Sportswoman of the Year).
Photo: Hannes Naude

The journey does not belong to him alone, but to everyone at KovsieSport.

These were the words of University of the Free State’s (UFS) Wayde van Niekerk, after being named as KovsieSport’s Senior Sportsman of the Year on Wednesday 21 October 2015.

The South African sports star walked away with the award for the third consecutive year, while the Protea netball defender, Karla Mostert, was crowned Senior Sportswoman for the first time.

The Junior Bok, Ox Nche, and the Protea hockey player, Nicole Walraven, were named as Junior Sportsman and Junior Sportswoman of the Year respectively.

Nche represented South Africa’s U20 rugby team this year at the Junior World Championships, played for the Shimlas, and was named the UFS Rugby Club’s best junior player.

Walraven made her debut for South Africa in 2015. She was crowned jointly as the best player at the Provincial U21 tournament, and was also Hockey South Africa’s U21 Player of the Year.

Van Niekerk won gold in the 400 metres at the World Championships in Beijing, becoming only the fourth athlete in history to run the 400 m in less than 44 seconds, and the 200 metres in less than 20 seconds.

“This is precious, and something I will cherish as an athlete: being part of KovsieSport,” he said.

“I arrived at the UFS as a high school boy, started as a junior, and was accepted immediately.”

“I really appreciate everybody who played such a huge part in my life.”

Mostert was named as Player of the Series in the Brutal Fruit series, as well as the Varsity series this year. She was also a star for the Proteas at the World Cup.

“This (the award) is definitely a good way to end my time at Kovsies. This is something one is trying to achieve for years, so it really is a highlight.”

She said it was difficult to describe how much KovsieSport is doing for its athletes, and this was the reason why the UFS achieves so many successes in sport.


We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept