1. Nickname: Oom C
2. Greatest sporting moment for that you can recall: Winning the final at the 2013 HSBC Sevens tournament in Port Elizabeth. It was a very difficult time as we had just lost our former President Nelson Mandela and there were rumours about the tournament being cancelled - the whole world was mourning the loss of a global icon. We played some of our best rugby that weekend and winning that tournament was significant in that Mandela believed that sport is able to unite the world, and as a team and on a greater scale, as a country; we truly did unite. The spirit and atmosphere that resonated was like that of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. It was truly special being part of the team to pull through a win for our country at such a sad time
3. Childhood sporting hero: Chester Williams
4. Greatest sporting moment personally: Being the flag bearer for South Africa at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games
5. Game or sporting event that you could watch on repeat: The Commonwealth Games sevens final between us (Blitzbokke) and New Zealand
6. Sea or river: Sea
7. Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
8. Favourite holiday destination: The farm where my mom spent her childhood in a little quaint town in the Eastern Cape. Fresh air, bush & green landscapes, bonfire stories with my uncles, bright stars at night, tranquility all around
9. Banana or pineapple on a pizza: Pineapple
10. What would your last meal be: Home cooked tripe by one of my aunts
11. Favourite superhero and why: Honestly I've never really had a favourite super hero because it wasn't a feature I was exposed to where I grew up. Someone and something that carried the same kind of symbolism for me is my friend Dabeon Draghoender. From early days, he made good decisions, followed a good path and worked hard to achieve his goals amidst bad social circumstances and that inspired me to follow on the same path in order to achieve my dreams
12. If a movie was made about your life who would play you: Denzil Washington
13. 3 things you would want with you on a desert island: Family, Eighteen Coffee & a satellite phone
14. Current series addiction: The Blacklist
15. Do you have a favourite joke: Not so much a joke, but I sometimes ask people whether the shirt/pair of pants they are wearing is theirs or not? They would naturally say yes. I would then tease them to say "Oh it's yours, but it's not your size!"
16. Best piece of advice you have ever received: Nothing worth it comes easy
17. Hobby: I’m trying to learn how to play golf
18. How does Sport for Good relate to you: Sport For Good (SFG) relates to me on a very deep personal level as it stands for exactly the kind of social ill circumstances I was able to break free from. As I do, SFG believes and enables the platform for youngsters to engage in sports to reach their potential and defy poor social circumstances which change their lives for the better
19. Laureus programme that you have interacted with, and what they do: I have actively engaged with Cool Play - through rugby and netball the programme aims to address and provide children with life skills they can apply to handle challenges and social issues
20. What are you and/or your family doing over this time to ensure you keep mentally and physically healthy? Definitely training to maintain physical fitness as it's of utmost importance for my career. I am also trying to be conscious of what I eat because during lockdown it's easy to fall into snack time - all the time haha! Mental wellness is also important during this time so I'm purposefully ensuring I am specific with virtual interactions and information during this time. My niece is busy with schoolwork and helping her with some of her assignments - that has definitely kept me challenged and stimulated!
Who is Laureus?
Laureus
is a global movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people
together as a force for good. The first Patron of Laureus was Nelson
Mandela. At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President
Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the
power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little
else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can
create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than
governments in breaking down racial barriers.”
This has become the philosophy of Laureus, the driving belief behind all they do.
Laureus
combines Laureus Sport for Good, the Laureus World Sports Academy and
Ambassadors Programme and the Laureus World Sports Awards to form a
unique organisation that uses the inspirational power of sport as a
force for good.
Laureus Sport for Good South Africa
The
Laureus Sport For Good Foundation Trust South Africa is a local chapter
of the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation. Launched in 2002, SA was the
first regional office to be established by Laureus International.
What
is the Laureus Sport For Good vision? “Using the power of sport to end
violence, discrimination and disadvantage. Proving that sport can change
the world”. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa supports
over 30 projects nationwide. Every programme supported addresses at
least one of the following six social issues, which are aligned with the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
• Health: Enhancing mental wellbeing and encouraging healthy behaviour change
• Education: Increased access to and completion of education
• Women and Girls: Promoting equality, empowerment and safety
• Employability: Developing skills and creating pathways to employment
• Inclusive Society: Creating communities which embrace ethnic, cultural and physical differences
• Peaceful Society: Resolving conflict, promoting community peace-building and creating safe spaces
For more information: https://www.laureus.co.za/