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Celebrating Success: Project Empower optimises UFS student-athletes through the GROW programme

27 November 2023 | Story Cindé Greyling | Photo SUPPLIED

In the latter part of 2023, KovsieSport (KS) Soccer, in collaboration with Student Counselling and Development (SCD) at the University of the Free State (UFS), introduced a transformative self-development initiative for student-athletes. The GROW programme, an acronym for growth, resilience, optimism, and wellness, is a meticulously structured, resilience-based project firmly rooted in Positive Psychology (PP). PP methodologies aim to foster human strengths, psychological capabilities, and overall flourishing.

Cultivating an optimised mind for an optimised body

Dr Munita Dunn-Coetzee, Director of SCD, emphasises the critical link between physical and mental well-being for student-athletes. Pushing their bodies to excel significantly influences their mental health,” she notes. “Creating awareness and a supportive culture within sports teams is important.” The GROW programme, initially piloted by students four years ago on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses, demonstrated statistically significant improvements in students’ subjective well-being, resilience, hope, and noteworthy reductions in experiences of depression and stress. Encouraged by these positive outcomes, the programme was subsequently integrated into KovsieSport.

Balancing the equation: The other side of sport

Tobias van den Bergh, Senior Psychologist: SCD, underscores the multifaceted nature of well-being. While physical exercise is a potent natural medicine supporting mental health, he highlights the importance of addressing emotional, spiritual, cognitive, social, and physical aspects of well-being. Van den Bergh cautions against the potential harm associated with exercise when linked to high-pressure performance goals or unhealthy objectives, advocating instead for a holistic approach to well-being.

Bridging the gap: Impact of the GROW programme

The GROW programme successfully bridges the gap between sports and mental health, fostering increased trust among student-athletes. Godfrey Tenoff, Senior Official at KS Football, observes enhanced cohesion among participants, affirming that the programme positively influenced their preparedness for life’s challenges. Makhaola Mohale, one of the attendees, encapsulates the sentiment, stating, “The biggest takeaway was to always have a heart and mind of gratitude.”

Celebrating victories: Stop at the top

On 27 October 2023, the GROW Certificate and Celebration Ceremony acknowledged student-athletes who completed the project, the event served as a reminder that, beyond the pursuit of victories in sports, investing in mental health is a significant triumph. In the words of the author, “Congratulations to all our student-athletes who completed the GROW-programme.”

UFS Student Careline:

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Text: 43302

News Archive

Plant-strengthening agent a result of joint effort between UFS and German company

2015-07-27

Research over the past few years has showed that the agent applied mostly as a foliar spray subsequently leads to better seedlings as well as growth and yield enhancement of various crops.

The application of a plant-strengthening agent in the agricultural industry has, until recently, been largely ignored, says Dr Elmarie van der Watt of the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS). The agent was co-developed by researchers at the UFS and a German company.

The product is moving into new markets, such as China, Vietnam, the USA, and Australia.

ComCat® was the result of extensive research by the German company Agraforum AG. Commercialisation was limited initially to Europe, while research was expanded to other parts of the world, with the University of the Free State as the main research centre. ComCat® is a unique, non-toxic plant strengthening agent derived from wild plants. It enhances plant growth and yield, as well as resistance against abiotic and biotic stress factors.

Dr Van der Watt says that, in nature, plants communicate and interact by means of allelochemicals (the inherent silent tool of self-protection among plants) and other phytochemicals (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants), as part of their resistance mechanisms towards biotic and abiotic stress conditions.

Most wild-plant varieties are usually well-adapted to resist these stress factors. However, monoculture crops have lost this ability to a large extent. “Active compounds contained in extracts from wild plants applied to monoculture crops can potentially supply the signal for the latter to activate their dormant resistance mechanisms.”

Research over the past few years has showed that the agent applied mostly as a foliar spray subsequently leads to better seedlings as well as growth and yield enhancement of various crops. A major advantage is that, despite its enhancing effects on root development and yield, it does not induce unwanted early vegetative growth that could jeopardise the final yield, as happened in the past for nitrogen application at an early growth stage.

Dr Van der Watt says, “Physiological data on the effect of the natural bio-stimulant product on photosynthesis, respiration, and resistance towards biotic stress conditions indicate that it can be regarded as a useful tool to manipulate agricultural crops. Research also showed that the field of application for this natural product is never-ending, and new applications are being investigated every day.”

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