Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
23 December 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied
Kopano Melesi
Kopano Melesi has been involved with teams such as the USSA U21, South African U20 and U23 sides, and works at the Mahd Sports Academy in Saudi Arabia.

They were ambitious students, in the same study group, and graduated together at the UFS. Only a few years later, three friends from the class of 2015 are in charge of the strength and conditioning of three top sports teams in South Africa.

The former classmates Bongani Tim Qumbu (Springboks), Kopano Melesi (Bafana Bafana), and Tumi Masekela (Proteas men’s cricket) are making sure the best in the country is in shape to compete internationally.

And the trio are not the only sport scientists from their class to excel. Others like Obakeng Molopyane, who did Wayde van Niekerk’s conditioning, are also part of this special group. It all started while doing their honours in Human Movement Science and being mentored by some of the best in the business, like Prof Derik Coetzee, who was the conditioning coach when the Boks won the 2007 World Cup.

Melesi says Prof Coetzee played a big role in their development as they had a good road map to follow. “He exposed us to things in the professional world that a normal student could only dream of. We worked with national teams, domestic and international professional teams.”

“When we went out there, we were not unsure about our abilities and capabilities to execute.” According to Masekela, they were keen students and had great UFS lecturers.

“We would meet up most afternoons after lectures to break down the lesson that we had until we understood exactly what the lesson was about.”

“This included digging into the history of how certain theories came about, then debating on our own thoughts on the topic,” he says.

All three gained experience while still studying. Qumbu worked with the Kovsie Young Guns and Irawas, Melesi with the Kovsie soccer team, and Masekela with the UFS cricket team.

Melesi says early exposure, through ‘volunteering’ at local teams, is key if you want to reach the top.

“I would advise aspiring students to engage with their lecturers as much as possible in class, as they have a lot of practical knowledge about sport science that you will not read in a book,” says Masekela.

 

 


 

Kopano Melesi Tumi Masekela Bongani Tim Qumbu

Kopano Melesi has been involved with teams such as the USSA U21, South African U20 and U23 sides, and works at the Mahd Sports Academy in Saudi Arabia.

 

Tumi Masekela played cricket for the University of the Free State, Northerns, the Knights and Titans. He is now the strength and conditioning coach of the Proteas.

 

Bongani Tim Qumbu (left) worked his way to the top. He now looks after some of the best rugby players in SA like the Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. Here they are at a Bok training session.

Photo: Supplied Photo: Cricket South Africa Photo: Supplied

 

News Archive

Meet our Council: Marius Swart – a Councillor with deep roots in the UFS
2017-07-12

Description: Meet our Council: Marius Swart – a Councillor with deep roots in the UFS Tags: Marius Swart, University Council, Mediclinic, cardiothoracic surgeon, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery  

Marius Swart, Alumni election on the UFS Council.
Photo: Stephen Collett

Marius Swart, a Kovsie alumnus, is an Alumni election on the University Council. Not only is he a Kovsie alumnus, but all four of his siblings and their spouses are Kovsie alumni, as well as all three his children.   

Interest in future decisions at the UFS
He is currently practicing as cardiothoracic surgeon at Mediclinic in Bloemfontein, but has always been involved with the Faculty of Health Sciences at the university.  He spent eight years as consultant in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and recently became a registered student again when he enrolled for an interdisciplinary PhD.  He is currently also supervisor for the research projects of undergraduate medical students.

Thus, Marius no doubt has a substantial interest in the issues and future decisions at the UFS.

Guard against retroformation
"Higher education is a challenging environment and expectations about excellence and human development are being tested.  Transformation is on everybody’s lips, but we have to guard against what I would call retroformation – moving back to old regimes and new forms of exclusion," he says.

Marius is excited to begin his term with a new Rector and Vice-Chancellor.  He realises that many challenges awaits him as councillor on the way forward, but he is ready to pull his weight in Council.

"My own daughter is involved in the challenges students are experiencing on a daily basis, and my wife is supporting a first-generation rural student.  The university should be sensitive to these students.  Empowering them can bring change to communities."

His interests are varied and it is clear that he has a vision for a better world.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept