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Hockey coach excited about team’s chances

03 May 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Zimbio

Simoné Gouws (right) in action for the Protea hockey team last year. The defender will be a key player for the Kovsie team in the Varsity hockey competition.

The coach of the first women’s hockey team of the University of the Free State is confident that they can do well in the upcoming Varsity hockey tournament.

The competition works on a gender-rotation system every year. This will be the fourth term of Varsity hockey for women. The Kovsie women has a good record. In 2013 they ended fourth, in 2015 they were second, and in 2017 fifth.

The Kovsies will be facing the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on Friday 3 May 2019. On Saturday, the Maties is lying in wait and the North-West University on Sunday.

“I am confident that we will be doing well. If each player plays her role very well, we should reach the semi-final stage. We have put in the hard work, with good progress. We have played three matches so far in 2019 and haven’t been on the losing side yet,” said Luke Makeleni, head coach.

In friendlies last month, the Kovsies drew to NWU (0-0), defeated UJ by 3-1, and had a good win (6-0) against the Johannesburg club, Shumbas.

“We have quite an experienced squad, with seven survivors from the previous Varsity hockey competition (in 2017), so they know what is expected,” Makeleni said. He is in his third year of coaching the women.

The Kovsies have several players with national experience. Simoné Gouws made her debut for the Proteas last year. Casey-Jean Botha, Shindré-Lee Simmons, Antonet Louw, and Lizanne Jacobs have all represented the South African U21 team. Botha is also in the Protea squad.

■ The Kovsie team: Wiané Grobler, Chane Hartel, Mikayla Claassen, Anke Badenhorst, Casey-Jean Botha, Shindré-Lee Simmons, Esté van Schalkwyk, Nadia van Staden, Antonet Louw, Michelle Ngoetjane, Heraldine Olin, Lizanne Jacobs, Refilwe Ralikontsane, Mielanka van Schalkwyk, Nela Mbedu, Simoné Gouws, Frances Louw, Kia-Leigh Erasmus.

News Archive

Young Communication student publishes second book

2014-09-03

Most people get to 90 and never publish a book. Some people at 19 have not even read a book.
But 19-year-old BA Communication student at Kovsies, Grace Nthebe, has already published two books, only in this year...

Grace writes poetry and her first book is called Reflections by Grace.

“It is a personal book and it was only by the grace of God that I could do this reflection,” says Grace.

“Reflections take a look at four aspects of myself:

- Me as a beginner in my life;
- Being a believer of love;
- Looking at critical conditions in life;
- And then finally, taking a look at myself as an African woman.”

Grace became fascinated with poetry in Grade 10. She developed as a poet more and more when she was in Grade 11 and started relying on her writing as a means to express the unexpressed.

“A friend of mine took a look at my writing and asked why I don’t have it published?”

“That was not easy, but I covered everything smoothly and took my time with it.”

More recently, Grace’s second book called Tribute to Love was also published.

“This is more of a motivational book,” she says.

“Young women often have to pretend to be ‘okay’ when going through tough times like a break-up. In Tribute to Love I go through ten basic steps to recover fully after a break-up.”

“A lot of times recovery starts with forgiveness and if you have social support, it eventually ends with learning to let go and being willing to love again. Relationships and break-ups are often phases every person goes through, but it is important to go through it in the right way…”

Grace’s books are self published by Quick Fox and available online at amazon.com

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