Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
05 September 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied
Edith Maritz with Arlonso Diedricks
Edith Maritz, physiotherapist, and the Kovsie Health team ensure that the Kovsie soccer players are looked after off the field. Here is Maritz (left) and midfielder Arlonso Diedricks.
The services and expertise provided by Kovsie Health are vitally important to the success of Kovsie Soccer and have helped to professionalise the football environment at the University of the Free State (UFS).

This is according to Godfrey Tenoff, who believes that looking after the UFS’ high-performance players off the pitch is imperative to ensuring “a top-quality product on the field”.

The Head of Soccer at KovsieSport says his players need to know they are in good hands and will be taken care of from a medical perspective. And these services are easily accessible and expedient on campus.

The UFS men’s soccer team recently reached a Varsity Football semi-final for the second consecutive year. In 2021, the side reached a first final in the history of the tournament.

Healthy relationship

Tenoff says UFS Soccer and Kovsie Health have a great working relationship.

“Dr Gerhard Jansen and his team, consisting of Paula Anley and Edith Maritz, have managed to help us professionalise our football environment.”

According to him, injury management is of the utmost importance in a contact sport like soccer.

The Kovsie Health team works alongside the likes of soccer athletic trainer, Ntele Mashiloane (MJ), and Yanelisa Nyalambisa, conditioning coach and UFS lecturer, to put preventative measures in place for injuries, better rehabilitation, and to monitor injuries.

Kovsie Health provides a range of services to the UFS soccer programme. This includes medical screenings (necessary for overall player management, participation, and return to play), injury diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Prevention and injury risks

Maritz, physiotherapist at Kovsie Health, says groin and hamstring injuries are among the most common in soccer – due to the specific requirements, such as changing direction, kicking, running, and acceleration.
It is very important to manage the workload of the players well and to sort out any previous injuries or niggles, because your biggest risk for an injury is a previous injury. – Edith Maritz

According to Jansen, medical practitioner at Kovsie Health, lower limb injuries such as knee and ankle injuries also occur.

Maritz stresses the importance of good collaboration and communication with Mashiloane to manage players returning from injury.

Her advice is that the prevention of injuries is the best route to follow.

“It is very important to manage the workload of the players well and to sort out any previous injuries or niggles, because your biggest risk for an injury is a previous injury.”

Jansen agrees and warns that rest alone is not sufficient to treat injuries. He says a proper diagnosis and treatment is necessary.

“Each type of injury and athlete is unique and must be treated accordingly.” 

“If the player does not receive treatment, the risk of a re-injury or another injury (which may be worse) is significantly greater than those who do receive treatment.”

News Archive

Fundraising campaign launched to help feed hungry students
2012-03-28

 

From the left is Dr. Carin Buys (Patron of NSH), Ms. Nicky Abdinor (guest speaker), Mrs. Grace Jansen (patron of NSH) and Redi Tlhabi (master of ceremonies).
Photo: Johan Roux
28 March 2012

Video clip (YouTube)

The University of the Free State (UFS) received over R200 000 for its No Student Hungry (NSH) Programme at the NSH launch dinner on Friday 23 March 2012 in Bloemfontein.

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS as well as founder of the NSH Programme donated R100 000 from the proceeds of his book We Need to Talk to this programme. Standard Bank also donated R30 000.

An additional amount of about R90 000 was raised by means of pledges made by guests and the auctioning of several items. These items were donated by local companies and university staff.

The No Student Hungry Programme (NSH) aims to raise funds to provide modest food bursaries for needy students and give them daily access to a balanced meal.
Prof. Jansen started the NSH programme in 2011 with the proceeds of his book, We Need to Talk.

The NSH funds more than 100 students in the hope of helping them to excel in their academic endeavours and, ultimately, to obtain their degrees.

In 2011, Prof. Jansen discovered that a significant number of students were studying without eating on a regular basis. These were often students with strong academic records but without adequate funding to sustain themselves with regular meals.

The project was established in January 2011 when the NSH Team started to develop the structure and processes of the programme. The first 100 students who were awarded the food bursaries started using their student cards for daily meals on campus on 1 April 2011.

“The No Student Hungry Campaign is not only about creating a university campus that cares. It is about creating a country where being human matters. Our students on the NSH project are amazing young people. They struggle to get by, but they have great potential and achieve good marks," Prof. Jansen said on Friday.

Prof. Jansen’s wife, Grace, and Dr Carin Buys, wife of Mr Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, volunteered to drive the programme and raise funds to address the problem. They are supported by various divisions within the university.

Students apply for the bursaries and are selected on the basis of their financial needs, good academic results, active participation in student life programmes and commitment to give something back to the community.

The raising of funds is a continuous process involving awareness campaigns, seeking of partnerships with companies and institutions and support from the general public, staff and individuals.

An agreement has been made with several food outlets/restaurants on campus who offer healthy, balanced meals to NSH students when they swipe their student cards that are funded by the programme.

At the end of the year the process is reviewed and students who still qualify are reinstated on the programme, whilst those whose circumstances have changed or are no longer in need of the bursaries, make way for new applications.

The NSH Team meets with students on a regular basis with the purpose of offering training, motivation and opportunities for personal growth and career development. Students are also expected to become involved in projects as a way of ploughing back into the community.

The goal is to expand the project annually as support for it grows.
Ms Nicky Abdinor, a clinical psychologist from Cape Town, who was born without arms and with shortened legs, provided an entertaining motivational speech at the launch. Ms Abdinor, founder of the Nicky's Drive organisation, also visited the UFS’ Unit for Students with disabilities where she delivered a talk on independence for people living with disabilities.

To become involved with the NSH Programme, please contact Mrs René Pelser on +27(0)51 4019087 or e-mail pelserr@ufs.ac.za.


Media Release
28 March 2012
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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