Last night, Maties Sport hosted our annual welcome function with over a hundred guests who joined representing our sporting clubs Chairpersons, Captains and Coaches.
In attendance was the incoming Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Deresh Ramjugernath who encouraged our student-athletes to reach for success in 2025.
“Success is within your reach, train hard, study hard and don’t limit yourself to one path when you can excel in both,” said Prof Ramjugernath, Stellenbosch University DVC Learning and Teaching.
A former cricketer himself, Prof Ramjugernath took the opportunity to detail his vision for the university (2030) which is inclusive of three things 1. Academic excellence 2. People, culture and processes and 3. Partnerships and sustainability. He went on to say that, “Academics and sport do not need to be opposing forces, in fact they can complement each other. Lessons learnt on the sporting field can be applied in an academic setting.”
He pinpointed these lessons on how student-athletes can balance academics and sport below:
- Sport teaches us discipline which can be applied in an academic sense through time management, focus and resilience
- It is important to prioritise and plan by setting a structured routine and setting goals
- Equally having the right mindset with determination and perseverance is vital for success
This also culminates to Prof’s Ramjugernath’s mission to move from “good” to “greatness” and having a “can do better” attitude where there is always room for improvement.
Our other speakers were Maties Men’s Rugby Captain Ezekiel Ngobeni, Maties Women’s Basketball Captain Ingrid Tredoux and Coach Nathaly September.
Maties Men’s Rugby Captain and 2024 Sportsman of the Year, Ezekiel Ngobeni took time out from preparing for Varsity Cup to address his fellow student-athletes. “Being a 3rd year student feels surreal, to think time has passed by so quickly. Looking back at this time, it brings thoughts of gratitude knowing that there is an institution and club that values your efforts and fully supports what you do and that you aspire to become. For that reason I thank Maties Rugby and Maties Sport as what you have done and continue doing is of great magnitude,” he expressed.
Ngobeni and his team are having a flying start to their Varsity Cup competition with four wins out of four and the Captain himself leading from the front with two FNB Player that Rocks awards.
The Maties Women’s Basketball story is an inspiring one, after dreaming of playing in Varsity Sports and USSA competitions – the reality of Covid hit the club. However, the club did not let that bring them down and in particular the women’s team. From being runners up in the B section in 2023, to making their first ever USSA final in 2024 and securing another runners up medal – Maties Women’s Basketball never gave up!
“This journey, our rise, our growth — has taught us one vital lesson: having the right people in your corner makes all the difference. We are fortunate to have incredible coaches, an amazing manager, dedicated training staff, and the best facilities we could ask for. So, let me be clear – this is only the beginning. Maties Basketball is just getting started, and you will be seeing a lot more of us,” said Maties Women’s Basketball Captain Ingrid Tredoux.
Their Head Coach, Nathaly September left the audience with one last tip of advice: “My message to you is to love what you do. Appreciate family, friends, teammates and colleagues that are in your corner and don’t stop dreaming.”
Maties Sport would like to wish all our sport clubs the very best for the year ahead, here’s to all our future success!
By Kimara Singh