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30 January 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Former Bok gives back to his alma mater
Wian du Preez, new head coach of the Shimlas U-20 team.

After a long and stellar career as a rugby player, Wian du Preez felt it would be unfair not to give something back to the game that had treated him so well.

Du Preez has been appointed as the new head coach of the Shimlas U-20 team, better known as the Kovsie Young Guns. They participate in the Varsity Young Guns competition.

Former Springbok
The 35-year-old Du Preez, a former Springbok, retired in 2016. He now works as a financial advisor at Jenwil BlueStar Financial  Advisory Services in Bloemfontein.

“Making the step from a professional rugby player to the corporate world was a difficult one. Thus, coaching provides me with the opportunity to stay involved in the game and to get out of the office.

Giving back
“I thought it would be nice to give something back after receiving so much from rugby. Having the opportunity to work with youngsters, you can help shape them for a career in rugby, should that be something they aspire to.”

Du Preez is a former Shimla himself, having worn the blue jersey between 2002 and 2004 whilst studying for his BCom (Investment Management and Banking).

Both his parents work at the university. His mother, Lizette, is semi-retired, but still acts as part-time assistant at the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French.

His father, Prof Chris du Preez, was the head of the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and was a lecturer. In his final year before he goes on pension, he assists postgraduates with their studies.

News Archive

Appreciating student leaders in the Kovsie community
2013-09-06

 
Anesu Ruswa with the students from the Heimat Association at the appreciation ceremony.
6 September 2013
Photo: Damane Muzi Gwebu

Over 290 certificates were recently awarded to students by the Associations and Dialogue Office. The students received recognition for the crucial role that they play in student leadership.

This appreciation function was the brainchild of Anesu Ruswa, who is the former chairperson of the office. “I realised that the executive committees of various student associations do a lot for the general student community, with neither recognition nor recompense – so I decided to change that. The appreciation function was a first step in recognising associations as incubators of future leaders and hubs of the student-life experience,” he says.

Anesu, who has served in the associations’ office for two consecutive years, says that a highlight for him in the past year was the lessons of organisation and professionalism that he learnt from his administrative executive committee. “We set up systems and structures in the Associations’ office which, with all humility, no other portfolio can match.”

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