Application Guidelines:

1. Your Sport Commitment

1.1    You will follow the rules of your Maties Sport Club.  In particular, you will:

1.1.1    Comply with the outcomes and expectations of the following assessments that you will undergo with your head coach & sport manager:

1.1.1.1 Initial consultation: This involves a current performance assessment & goal-setting by your head coach in terms of expectations regarding your sport performance.

1.1.1.2 Assessment 1: At the end of the first semester, your sport performance is assessed by your coach and a report is submitted to the Head of the High Performance Unit on your progress as set-out in the goals identified during the initial consultation. The outcome of this assessment will be used to set/adjust your performance enhancement goals for the second semester.

1.1.1.3 Assessment 2: During the second semester, your sport performance is assessed again and a report is submitted by your coach to the Head of the High Performance Unit on your progress as set-out following Assessment 1. The result of this assessment will be used as criteria to determine the allocation/confirmation of the second portion of your bursary, as well as whether you are eligible for an HP sport bursary for the following year. Unsatisfactory results of your second assessment may result in a reversal of 10%-50% of your annual bursary.

1.1.2 Attend all strength & conditioning and all other performance enhancement intervention service sessions as scheduled by the coaches, managers and trainers who work within the high performance Integrated Medicine and Science (IMAS) support program, including the PACER empowerment programme.

1.1.3 Participate in all scheduled coaching practices and perform to the best of your ability at all times;

1.1.4 Be available for any team, match or competition for which you are selected within the constraints of the University’s formal academic policies with particular reference to Provincial League Competitions and annual USSA, Varsity Cup & Varsity Sport Tournaments.

1.1.5 Be actively involved in sport-related activities of your Club, including community interaction projects, promotional/marketing & fundraising events, hosted by your Club;

1.1.6 Not be involved in coaching at academies, coaching clinics, camps and schools that are income generating and are in direct conflict/competition to your club’s income generating projects;

1.1.7  Wear the prescribed uniform of your Club;

1.1.8 Represent your Club with distinction, dignity and responsibility while upholding the good name of the University and the Club.

1.1.9 Comply at all times with the definition of a “bona fide” student as set out in the USSA, Varsity Cup & Varsity Sport rules, or any other rules that are accepted in the place of USSA rules. If you are unsure of what the requirements are, please ask your appropriate club manager for an explanation.

1.1.9  Provide permission to the University to use your image and/or verbal comments, free of charge, for promotional articles, photographs and any other material for media and marketing purposes.

1.2 You must follow the rules of your Club regarding absence due to illness.

1.3 If you carry a current injury at the start of your bursary calendar year, you may be subjected to a discretionary reduction in your bursary. You will be evaluated by a Sport Physician as part of a medical screening conducted by the Stellenbosch University Campus Health Services. Student-athletes who are found to have sustained an injury as a result of participation in any other activity besides their particular sport risk losing their HP bursary.

1.4  In the event of injury, you will report to the Maties Sport Injury Clinic at Campus Health Services available all weekdays from 8am-10am. This evaluation service is available to you at no cost but does not include the subsequent recommended intervention/treatment services as advised by the Campus Health Services Sports Physician. You are responsible to follow the injury management and rehabilitation protocols managed by Campus Health Services in conjunction with your Club. You will continue to attend training sessions and matches during the injury recovery and rehabilitation process as requested by your Coach.

1.5 All costs related to your injury will be for your own account.

1.6 No participation in any other sport or Residence/Koshuis sports outside of your club sport is permitted unless you have received written permission from your Head Coach and Club Manager and approved by the Head Maties Sport High Performance Unit.

1.7 In the event of any injury sustained outside of your sport club events (Res/Koshuis sport included), your bursary amount may be reduced pro rata according to the length of time that you are not available to participate in training, matches and competitions for your sport club.

1.8 If you are a first year student and have been requested to partake in any Residence/Koshuis sport activity or event by your residence, immediately seek written permission from your Head Coach and Club Manager and approved by the Head Maties Sport High Performance Unit before joining these types of activities. Failing to do so may result in the reduction or termination/withdrawal of your HP bursary.

1.9 By signing this document, you confirm that:

1.9.1 You undertake to educate yourself in terms of the use of prohibited substances in sport.

1.9.2 You understand that the use of prohibited substances is banned for the participation in your sport.

1.9.3 You understand that you will have to bear the consequences of any penalty imposed, should you be tested positive for a banned substance at any time.

1.9.4 You will not hold the University of Stellenbosch or any Maties Sport Club or any of its staff members responsible, should you be tested positive for the use of prohibited substances.

1.9.5 You declare that you are not using any prohibited substances, as indicated on the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport & World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list.

2. Your Academic Commitment

2.1 You must show satisfactory academic progress in order to remain eligible for your bursary. The following consultation and assessments of your performance will be made by your head coach & sport manager:

2.1.1 Assessment 1: At the end of the first semester, your academic performance is assessed by your Club Manager and a report is submitted to the Head of the High Performance Unit on your progress and academic performance of the test and exam series. The outcome of this assessment will be used to set/adjust goals for the second semester, as well as to confirm your eligibility for your bursary. If you are academically unsuccessful or terminate your academic studies either during or at the end of the first semester, you may lose up to 100% of your Sport Bursary;

2.1.2 Assessment 2: During the second semester, your academic performance is assessed again and a report is submitted by Club Manager to the Head of the High Performance Unit on your progress as set-out following Assessment 1. The result of this assessment will be used as criteria to confirm the second half of your bursary, as well as whether you are eligible for an HP sport bursary for the following year. If you are academically unsuccessful or terminate your academic studies either during or after the first semester, or by the University’s cut-off date for de-registration, you may lose up to 75% of your Sport bursary;

2.2 You accept that your Club Manager and the Head of the Maties Sport High Performance Unit will monitor your academic performance and may recommend actions to support your academic studies if you are having any difficulties.

2.2.1 If you are a first-year student you must commit yourself to meeting the academic requirements of the programme into which you are registered. This requires you to pass semester subjects and achieve qualification to continue in the second semester in your year subjects. During your first assessment in June/July your academic success will be assessed and determined whether you are successful or at risk. If you are at risk, you will be referred to the PACER program for assistance and intervention to optimise your academic progress (Individual Performance Lifestyle Coaching).

2.2.2 If you are a second year or higher student, you commit yourself to passing at least two thirds of the credits (60 credits) in the particular study year for which you are registered. During your first assessment in June/July your academic success will be evaluated and it will be determined whether you are successful or at risk. If you are rated to be “at risk” you will be referred to the PACER program for a required intervention to help improve your academic progress (Individual Performance Lifestyle Coaching).

2.2.3 If you are a post-graduate student enrolled in a Master’s degree, your assessments referred to in 2.1 must be accompanied by a formal report from your study supervisor (6-monthly) indicating satisfactory progress toward graduation. In your final year, graduation is the measure of success.

2.3 You accept the following with regards to your academic accountability:

2.3.1 If you are academically unsuccessful or terminate your academic studies at any stage during the year or by the University’s cut-off date for de-registration, you may lose up to 100% of your Sport bursary;

2.3.2 If you are identified as “at academic risk” at the end of the first semester, your bursary may be adapted/reduced. Semester as well as year subjects will be included in the assessment.

2.4 You will attend and participate in all student-athlete empowerment activities planned for you as part of your training year. This may include PACER workshops to support your academic and holistic personal development.

3. Reviews of Your Compliance

3.1 Your sport Club Manager and Coach may evaluate your compliance with any of the conditions described in this document at any time. If you are found to be non-compliant, your bursary could be reduced or withdrawn immediately.

3.2 Your compliance with the conditions described in this document will be formally evaluated at the end of the first semester as well as end of the second semester as indicated in paragraph 1.1and 2.1. The results of your second semester academic assessment will be used as one of the criteria applied to determining your eligibility for a sport bursary for the following year.

4. Payment Arrangements

4.1 Your HP sport bursary will be paid directly into your student fees account. Within your bursary allocation, specific portions of your total bursary are dedicated to certain costs you will incur as a student-athlete. This distribution of funding forms part of this agreement. Please request this detail from your club manager and coach.

4.2 If you have not fulfilled both your academic and sport commitments satisfactorily by Assessment 1, your bursary may be reduced by an amount to accurately reflect your level of success and compliance. This includes the possibility that a portion of your bursary may be terminated/withdrawn due to non-compliance to this agreement.

4.3 If you have fulfilled both your academic and sport commitments satisfactorily at Assessment 2, your second 50% of your bursary amount is confirmed.
If you have not fulfilled both your academic and sport commitments satisfactorily, your bursary may be reduced in an amount to accurately reflect your level of success. This includes the possibility that a portion of your bursary may be terminated/withdrawn due to non-compliance to this agreement.

4.4 The University’s requirement is that all outstanding fees of your student account must be paid by the end of September each year to avoid any interest charges as well as to enable you to access your end of year academic marks.

4.5 You may request ad-hoc payments that were not specified in your approved bursary application for expenses you incurred as a student-athlete only if all of the following conditions are met:

4.5.1  Your student account has been fully settled (i.g. you do not owe the University anything and you have a credit in your account after September in the particular year).

4.5.2  You submit your request for payment or personal reimbursement to the Head Maties Sport High Performance Unit who will determine the legitimacy of your request in consultation with your appropriate Club Manager and coach.

4.5.3  You accept that there is no guarantee that ad hoc expenses will be covered by your sport bursary, even if have a credit in your account after September in the particular year following the full settlement of your student account.

4.6 After your graduation, any bursary funds remaining in your student account will be forfeited and the University will recoup the balance.