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Paralympic star Louzanne Coetzee’s legacy to para-athletes

16 November 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Jóhann Thormählen

Mating Monokoane Louzanne Coetzee Claus Kempen — Louzanne Coetzee, Claus Kempen – who both run for the Kovsie Athletics club – and Mating Monokoane, the University of the Free State (UFS) women’s soccer captain, are joining hands by starting the Louzanne Coetzee Foundation. Here, from the left, are Monokoane, Coetzee, and Kempen at Pellies Park on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

Leaving a legacy. Although she is still in the prime of her career, this has motivated Louzanne Coetzee to start a foundation to benefit others.

The sports star, who won silver (1 500 m; T11) and bronze (marathon; T12) medals at the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2021, wants to empower and support para-athletes. And she is joining hands with two fellow Kovsies to do it.

They will invest their time and talents towards the Louzanne Coetzee Foundation, a result of an idea that started while the 29-year-old Coetzee was competing at the Paralympic Games.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Residence Head of Akasia started the foundation in partnership with Claus Kempen, her guide, and Mating Monokoane, the UFS women’s soccer captain.

“I realised there was a gap in development, especially for para-athletes,” she says.

“You get to a certain level, and in South Africa there is uncertainty with regard to funding and educating athletes.”

Identifying needs

According to Kempen, the foundation will start by generating funds to assist others. Help can be provided by educating, informing or “physically giving financial aid to someone in need, whether it is a wheelchair, entering for a competition, or a bursary”.

Coetzee serves in many leadership roles, such as the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) Athletes Commission and says she will make use of these.

“I am involved in the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, and that gives me a good platform to see where help is needed.

“And with Mating involved in the UFS, it gives us good insights into where the needs are.”

Coetzee will also work with organisations such as the Free State Sport Association for the Physically Disabled and Visually Impaired. “I am also going to start getting more involved with KovsieSport. It is very exciting.”

Guiding and following

Coetzee and Kempen have been talking about a foundation for some time and she wanted to include Monokoane, the 2022 Prime of Akasia.

They have been working together for the past three years. Coetzee admires her passion, ethics, and “knows she also has a heart for leaving a legacy”.

And it is fitting that their residence motto is: ‘Live, love, learn and leave a legacy’.

Kempen says it is a privilege to be involved.

“Normally my role is to guide Louzanne, but in this instance I am following, and she is taking me on a journey to explore what we can do to empower other individuals and groups.”

He congratulated the UFS on a successful leadership pathway.

“It is something we like to talk about, namely developing students into leaders.”

“Louzanne took the opportunity with Mating, and they went from a student and employee relationship to partners.”

News Archive

Unique partnership flows out of our Schools Projects

2011-06-29

At the meeting between our university and principals and teachers of three of the 23 schools in our university’s Schools Partnership Project were, from the left: Mr Motlolometsi Tshidiso, Tsotseletso Secondary School; Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting); Mr Vuyo Mlinde, Bloem-Oos Intermediary School; back: Dr Peet Venter, Head of our South Campus, and Mr Tlhabedi Mafoyane from Kagisho Secondary School.

Our university established a unique partnership flowing from two of its community initiatives; the UFS Schools Partnership Project and the Extreme Make-over for Schools Project. Bloem-Oos Intermediary School which will benefit from the Extreme Make-over for Schools Project formed a partnership with Kagisho and Tsotseletso Secondary schools becoming a feeder school for the two schools. Both Kagisho and Tsotseletso Secondary schools are now beneficiaries of the UFS Schools Partnership Project.

With the Schools Partnership Project, the university is working closely with the 23 schools for a three- to five-year-period to help schools to become top achievers of which the teachers, learners and parents could be proud. The schools were identified last year and the groundwork for this project was finalised in 2010 as well. The university’s involvement in the Extreme Make-over for Schools Project includes amongst others a partnership with the Department of Basic Education and the Bloemfontein business community to work together to launch the first of a number of a newly upgraded schools to learners, teachers and the community. Bloem-Oos Intermediary School became the first school in Bloemfontein to undergo an extreme makeover.

Management structures from the University, including Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting), and Dr Peet Venter, Campus Head of the our South Campus, recently met with the principals and some of the teachers of three schools that form part of these two community initiatives of the university. The meeting between the university and principles Mr Tlhabedi Mafoyane (from Kagisho Secondary School), Mr Motlolometsi Tshidiso (Tsotseletso Secondary School) and Mr Vuyo Mlinde (Bloem-Oos Intermediary School) took place to enhance the relationships between the parties involved.

Dr Makhetha said, “When you support a school you groom learners to fit into the culture of the university. We were excited to learn that Bloem-Oos Intermediary School is a feeder school for Kagisho and Tsotseletso Secondary Schools. This partnership allows us to not only prepare learners already from an early age for university but also throughout their high school career. Let us make this project a model for South Africa.”

Continuous efforts and projects from the university as well as partners in the community, to invest in the learners of Bloem-Oos Intermediary School, include:
-       The Project for Peace: A calculator project where learners will be taught on how to use a scientific calculator properly. A group of the learners will also be supplied with a free calculator.
-       The Music Project: The Odeion School of Music at the UFS will also bring a music programme to the school.
-       The Desk Project: This project includes fixing of all broken desks by Group 4 Correctional Facility. (This initiative includes all the broken desks of all the 23 schools in involve in the UFS Schools Partnership Project.)

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