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15 September 2021 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Charl Devenish
The University of the Free State (UFS) netball team was honoured by UFS management at a special celebration. The side won a fourth Varsity Netball title and the UFS has now been champion in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2021.

Set goals for yourself, commit to it, and give everything to achieve them.

According to Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), this is what the UFS netball team did and why it is an example for the Kovsie community.

He celebrated the team’s achievement of winning Varsity Netball for a record fourth time and extending the run of the UFS as the most successful team in the tournament.

The Kovsies convincingly beat Maties 55-39 in the final to be crowned champions. It was the biggest victory margin in a final, and they did it after losing to Maties (46-54) in the first round.

Prof Petersen and his management group honoured Burta de Kock, the UFS Head Coach, and her team during a special celebration on 13 September 2021.

Working as an outfit

He said the side’s determination is a lesson to others.

“Once you have decided that these are my objectives and you commit yourself to achieving them, that is all you focus on.”

“It will always be possible if you put everything in and you showed it. Thank you for doing this.”

He praised the team for building the UFS brand. 

“You really work as an outfit. What I saw of the players was a right attitude when they play the game.”

Everything made easy

Sikholiwe (Sne) Mdletshe, the UFS captain, thanked her team’s management, the UFS, and its lecturers.

“We really want to thank the university for putting so much into us. It gives us a lot of resources.

“Some tests had to be written while we were in the bubble and our lecturers made that easy for us.”

She said the players never take the effort for granted. “The UFS makes everything easy to go out there and play netball – the sport we have been playing since we were little kids.”

DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport, is immensely proud of the team.

“We even lost one of our best players in the first match, Chanel Vrey, due to injury. We have to take off our hats to the Kovsie netball team.”


News Archive

Don’t sit at home, Graduates take a bow
2014-04-10

 

Pride, joy, gratitude and cheer echoed across our Bloemfontein Campus this week as we celebrated the 2014 Autumn Graduation Ceremony.

These prestigious ceremonies did not belong to the graduates exclusively, though. Their parents, family, friends and academics also received several bows of gratitude for their support.

The guest speakers provided a wealth of wisdom and encouragement to the graduates. Dr Ruda Landman, well-known media personality, advised that “success doesn’t just happen, it is achieved.” Comedian Loyiso Gola told graduates to go out and conquer the world – a message that Lucas Sithole cemented. Sithole, ranking at Nr 2 in wheelchair tennis world wide, said that the only one who could stand in your way is yourself. “Today, you have power in your hands. Try to change the world with that power.” Siyabulela Xuza, South African rocket scientist and Harvard graduate, was a true embodiment of his words, “We are equally capable of achieving global innovation.”

After the conferral of the degrees and certificates, Prof Jonathan Jansen reminded the graduates that their “degree will mean nothing” if they cannot distinguish between what is right and what is wrong as they go into the world. When faced with a difficult situation, “base your decision on what is right and what is wrong, not on the colour of someone’s skin, the way they pray, or the way they choose to love,” he urged.

Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, concluded the proceedings by expressing the spirit of this celebration, “I take a bow to you all.”

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