Rhodes University’s athletes and sports clubs were honoured on Friday evening at the annual Sports Council Awards Dinner.
The highlight of the evenings awards was the announcing of Sportsman of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year, which went to Bradley Stephenson and Micheen Thornycroft respectively.
Rhodes University’s athletes and sports clubs were honoured on Friday evening at the annual Sports Council Awards Dinner.
The highlight of the evenings awards was the announcing of Sportsman of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year, which went to Bradley Stephenson and Micheen Thornycroft respectively.
Stephenson, who is a member of the Rhodes Mountain Club and the Cycling Club, won the award for a non Rhodes sport, snow skiing. He is the current South African Freestyle Skiing champion and, from his various competitions this year, has been selected to represent South Africa at the Freestyle World Cup events in Suomu, Finland and in Meribel, France during December.
He is the first person from Africa to qualify for the World Cup in this discipline. Former head of sport at Rhodes Sports Admin, Pete Andrew said this is the first time the Sportsman of the Year award has been made to a non Rhodes offered sport, although many have received special awards. Stephenson is also among a few first year students to win the award.
Thornycroft is the president of the Rowing Club and won the SA pairs event and finished 9th at the U23 World Rowing Regatta where she and her partner represented Zimbabwe. Thornycroft is in her final year at Rhodes and plans to join a rowing club in Pretoria next year, as she hopes to take part in the senior world rowing championships.
A special guest at the awards dinner was Paul Treu, Springbok Sevens rugby coach who spoke on the achievements of the Sevens side and how they got to winning the Sevens World Cup this year. Head of sport at Rhodes, Roger Adams said “The beauty of the Rhodes system means anyone can win an award.”
He said the awards “means a lot to the students for the recognition for their efforts among other clubs and students.”
Grocott’s Mail staff member, Thandoxolo Mize was named the Staff Coach of the Year for his achievements with the women’s soccer side. The Performance of the Year went to the Aquatics Club.
The Hockey Club took away most of the awards, winning the Most Improved Club of the Year, as well as the Club of the Year, Committee of the Year. Hockey club member Tara Murray was named Administrator of the Year, while hockey coach Andrew Roberts was named the student Coach of the Year.
In the Inter-Residence awards section, Oppies won the men’s section, while the woman’s section was won by New House. The Inter-Residence sporting competition was first introduced in 1971. In 2004 there were 15 events, and this year, the programme consisted of 25 events.
Some good turnouts included: Mountain – 14 men’s and 23 ladies teams, hockey – 18 men’s and 22 ladies teams, netball – 20 men’s and 32 ladies teams, archery – 27 men’s and 39 ladies teams, aquatics (gala) – 18 men’s and 14 ladies teams.
Guy Gordon, sports officer at Rhodes Sports Admistration, said inter-res is important, as “This programme gives students the opportunity to compete in a variety of different sports, and is also the ideal setting for clubs to show what they are made of and put their management skills to the test.
This event also plays a vital role for Rhodes sport, where we believe that mass participation and a well- rounded student experience is key.”
