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Dougie Heymans left huge boots to fill at KovsieSport

15 June 2021 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Supplied

A Shimla great, a passionate rugby and family man, and a dream colleague are just some of the descriptions of how Dougie Heymans will be remembered.

Heymans, Assistant Director: KovsieSport and Head of Rugby, passed away on Monday due to the COVID-19 disease. He was 58.

He will leave a massive legacy in his capacity as rugby administrator, said DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport. “Dougie was so precise in his work. He had a huge work ethic. Everything he did was textbook stuff. He is going to be missed immensely.”

According to Prinsloo, messages of condolence have been pouring in from far and wide. One of many was from former Protea cricket great, Allan Donald, nowadays the head coach of the Knights cricket team.
“It is indeed a shock to the entire sporting world. I knew Dougie very well, his involvement with varsity rugby, but also rugby in the Free State, made a huge impact on sports. This is a huge loss not only for the Cheetahs, but also Bloemfontein and the entire region. We sadly lost a legend,” he said.

Heymans played for the Shimlas between 1989 and 1994 and went on to represent the Free State in 154 matches until 2001.In 2009, he started working for the University of the Free State. He was the man in charge of Varsity Cup matches at Shimla Park.
“They say no one is irreplaceable, but it is going to be tough to follow in his massive footsteps. It is very hard not having him around anymore. He was a fantastic colleague,” Prinsloo said.

Former Shimla and Springbok, Toks van der Linde, who played with and against Heymans, said he had lost a great friend. “He was more than a friend, like a brother to us younger guys. RIP big brother, we are going to miss you.”

News Archive

Multimillion rand donation to boost UFS schools

2013-02-05

At the launch were Dr Cobus van Breda, Director of the Science-for-the- Future Unit at the UFS, Mr Makhetha Botsane from the Free State Department of Education Mrs. Elizna Prinsloo, Programme Manager of the Family Maths and Family Science project and Mr Graham McCulloch, Free State representative of the Ilima Trust.
Photo: Kelly Abrahams
05 February 2013

The University of the Free State’s UFS) Family Maths and Family Science project has received a R1 million sponsorship from Old Mutual for 2013. This is a three-year project whereby the university’s School of Open Learning aims to demystify mathematics and science in the early school years, as stated in their mission. The launching ceremony took place on 1 February 2013 at the UFS Campus.

The sponsorship was made available by Old Mutual, but will be managed by the project management group, Ilima Trust.

The UFS received R30 million altogether from Old Mutual for the use on various projects.

Except for the Family Maths and Family Science project, the Schools make over project and the Internet Broadcasting Programme will also benefit from this donation.

“Ilima has a hands-on relationship with different projects and is the public face for the FM & FS sponsorship,” said Mr Graham McCulloch, Ilima Trust representative for the Free State.

“Today is the first step on the long road to improving math and science in the country,” McCulloch said.

Dr Cobus van Breda, Director of the Science-for-the-Future Unit says the Family Math and Family Science Project makes science and math accessible to children and their parents in the early years, with the aim of developing positive attitudes towards these often difficult school subject.

“This project aims to empower educators, parents and student educators by iving support and training in hands-on teaching methodologies.”

Learners, educators and parents from 18 schools in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo will benefit from this project. Teachers will receive training at the UFS and then return to their community to train parents and to teach learners. Teachers will also receive activity material to use in classrooms.

“The selection of the 18 participating schools took place by identifying feeder schools of secondary schools from the UFS School Change Project, trying to create a whole-school development,” Van Breda said.

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