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05 June 2025 | Story Vuyelwa Mbebe and Aimee Barlow | Photo Supplied
KovsieCricket
From left to right: Xander Snyders, President: Free State Cricket Union; Rocky le Roux, Head of KovsieCricket at the UFS; and Donavin George, Mangaung Cricket Association Chairperson.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) KovsieCricket club was honoured with two of the most significant awards at the recent Mangaung Cricket Association Annual General Meeting (MCA AGM).

First, KovsieCricket was crowned MCA Premier League Champions, marking a remarkable twelfth consecutive title in the region’s top league. Later, the club was named the Best Run Cricket Club in the Free State, a recognition that goes beyond match victories.

The MCA AGM, which reflects on the regional cricketing year, this year included key updates from MCA Chairperson Donavin George, a review of the season’s performance, and the election of the executive committee for the new term. The AGM also celebrates excellence, dedication, and growth within the sport during the preceding year.

Rocky le Roux, Head of Cricket at the UFS, reflected on the evening’s achievements by attributing them to the unified effort of everyone involved in the club. “These accolades are the result of unwavering dedication from our players, coaches, management, and support staff,” he said. “Our student-athletes lay the foundation with their performances, but none of this would be possible without the people working tirelessly behind the scenes. Teamwork, long-term planning, and a shared vision have allowed us to achieve this consistency.”

The Best Run Cricket Club award serves as a powerful validation of the systems and values in place at KovsieCricket, Le Roux said, adding that awards of these types are not only a source of pride but are instrumental in attracting top talent from around the country. “They show young cricketers that KovsieCricket is a place where they can grow, compete, and thrive – not just on the field, but as professionals and leaders.”

With regional dominance firmly established, KovsieCricket’s sights are now set on national excellence. Le Roux believes that becoming the best cricket club in South Africa is a realistic goal, but one that will require strategic growth in several key areas. He emphasised the need for permanent, experienced coaches to guide development, an even stronger recruitment network, facilities that meet national standards, and a culture of belonging that inspires players to invest fully in the club. He also stressed that consistent exposure to higher levels of competition and a focus on mental resilience will be critical in the journey ahead.

As KovsieCricket celebrates these milestones, Le Roux extended heartfelt gratitude to those who make the journey possible. He acknowledged Jerry Laka, Director of KovsieSport at the UFS, the KovsieSport team for their unwavering support, the players and coaches for their commitment to excellence, and Francis Marais, Supervisor of the sports grounds and grounds staff, for consistently preparing top-quality pitches. He also thanked the Mangaung Cricket Association for their continued efforts in running competitive leagues and providing the resources that help the game thrive in the Free State.

With another successful season behind it, KovsieCricket looks to the future with confidence and ambition. Trophies alone do not define the legacy they are building – rather, their culture of excellence, community, and purpose sets the standard for university cricket in South Africa and beyond.

News Archive

The solution to student food insecurity is a holistic approach
2017-02-10

Description: Dietetics read more Tags: Dietetics read more

Dr Louise van den Berg from the Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics says the University of the Free State
is taking steps to teach students how to budget and make
them aware how important food nutrition is.
Photo: Pixabay 

Research at the University of the Free State (UFS) has indicated that nearly 60% of students are victims of food insecurity and suffer from hunger most of the time. The research by the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences shows that a further 25% are food insecure but are not hungry most of the time.

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dr Louise van den Berg, says food insecurity is common among student populations across the world. However, local research shows that it is almost double that of tertiary institutions in developed countries.

Food insecurity among students caught many people off-guard
Dr Van den Berg says in South Africa nobody had really looked at the problem until recently “It seems student food insecurity has caught many people off-guard.” She says people tend to think of tertiary students as a privileged group.

The research has now indicated how deep the problem really is on campus. The students that most likely go hungry are single, male, black or coloured, and are generally first-generation students.

They are also mostly undergraduates, those paying their studies from non-bank loans or bursary means, those not living with their parents or guardians or those that need to support somebody else financially.

The results further indicate that those that are likely to suffer from hunger seldom or never have enough money for food but have to borrow money for food, have to ask for food, sell items to get food or steal food.

“A healthy student is a
successful student.”

Bursary money send back home for parents to survive
Dr Van den Berg agrees that one of the main reasons for the situation is economic stress. Research has shown students rarely spend money on food when resources are scarce. Furthermore, parents of students studying with bursaries are not always able to fully support them on campus. Some students send bursary money back home for their parents to survive.

She says other factors that contribute to campus food insecurity are that all over the world universities have terminated catered food halls due to high costs. “To a large extent this has created a food desert for students and now they need to look after themselves.”

To throw money at the problem does not seem to be the answer. 

Students are food-uncertain beings
The research indicates that young people on campus do not know where to buy food, much less the correct, nutritional food they need. Dr Van den Berg says most universities are now aware of the problem and have been taking steps. This includes teaching students how to budget and making them aware how important nutrition is for their success and their responsibility for themselves.

Universities are also looking at private funding for food aid and food schemes. Dr Van den Berg says other solutions are the restructuring of bursary fees, student self-help initiatives and food gardens.

The Faculty of Health Sciences is taking the initiative to manage a food blog on the UFS website. It will also use other social media platforms to post food-preparation videos and recipes for students.

Dr Van den Berg says it is important to grow the 15.6% group of students who indicated they are food secure because a healthy student is a successful student.

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