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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.

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Students from the Department of Physics won five prizes
2006-07-21

Students from the University of the Free State's (UFS) Department of Physics won five prizes during the 51st annual conference of the South African Institute for Physics (SAIP) that was presented at the University of the Western Cape.

The award winners are from the left back: Mr Martin Ntwaeaborwa (best Ph D lecture), Mr Heinrich Joubert (best Ph D publication), Ms Lisa Coetsee (best M Sc poster), Mr Richard Harris (best M Sc lecture) and Mr Brain van Soelen (best M Sc poster in Astrophysics). In front from the left are the study leaders: Prof Pieter Meintjes, Prof Koos Terblans and Prof Hendrik Swart. Proff Swart and Terblans were also elected as vice-chairperson and secretary of the Condensed Matter Physics and Material Science of SAIP.

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