Youth sports take centre stage in Vanderbijlpark
What began in 2015 with just 12 rugby and 18 netball teams has grown into a major national event. This year, more than 90 schools will compete in rugby, netball, and hockey games, with more than 3 000 players expected to take part, making it one of the largest school sports festivals in South Africa.
Organised by Rhino Youth Sport Development (formerly Prestige Jeugsport), Rhino Week has become a key date on the school sports calendar. The tournament provides a competitive and inclusive platform for learners from across the country, including teams from Namibia, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, and Gauteng.
'Our mission has always been to create opportunities for all children to participate, regardless of their background or ability to pay,' says founder Dries van Heerden. 'This isn't just a sports week, it's a dream week.'
Now under the leadership of new chairperson Martin van Wyngaardt, the tournament continues to grow in stature and professionalism, with support from seasoned organisers including Gert Tsoetsi (Tournament Director) and Hennie van Vuuren (Regional Representative).
In addition to its sporting impact, Rhino Week contributes significantly to the local economy.
Despite limited sponsorship, the organisers proudly maintain a no-player-turned-away policy, with around 20% of athletes receiving financial support. The event also has growing visibility on platforms like SuperSport and social media.
As Rhino Week celebrates a decade of youth development through sport, it remains committed to building a stronger, more inclusive future one match at a time.
Fixtures:
July 2: Stadium:
08:00: o14 – Griffons CD vs Ekurhuleni XV
09:00: o14 – KZN South Coast vs Cobras
10:00: o15 – JHB Sentraal Wes vs Ekurhuleni
11:00: Official opening:
11:45: o15 – Pumas CD vs Sedibeng
12:45: o17 – Ekurhuleni XV vs Cobras
14:00: o17 – Sedibeng vs KZN South Coast
15:15: o19 – Gauteng West vs Cobras
16:30: o19 – Sedibeng vs JHB Central West
A-field:
08:00: o14 – Fezile Dabi XV vs Sedibeng
09:00: o14 – JHB Sentral West vs Ekurhuleni
10:00: o15 – Cobras vs JHB West XV
11:00: Official opening
11:45: o15 – KZN South Coast vs Amaqhawe
12:45: o17 – Ekurhuleni vs JHB Central West
14:00: o17 – Sedibeng XV vs Mustangs
15:15: o19 – KZN South Coast vs Ekurhuleni
B-field:
08:00: o15 – Wasps vs Platinum Hawks
09:00: o15 – Broncos vs Mustangs
10:00: o15 – Meyerton Knights vs Allies
11:00: Official opening
11:45: o17 – Vikings vs Awaghawe
13:00: o17 – Broncos vs Platinum Hawks
14:15: o19 – Lynx vs Platinum Hawks
15:30: o19 – VRC vs Mustangs
C-field:
08:30: o17 – Mmabatho vs RCSA
09:45: o17 – Allies vs Meyerton Knights
11:00: Official Opening
11:45: o17 – Lynx vs Mustangs Young Guns
13:00: o19 – Broncos vs RCSA
14:15: o17 – RCSA XV vs Awaghawe XV
15:30: o17 – Sizanani vs Riverside
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
Students showcase talent at LSEN schools tourney in Benoni
The Benoni Northerns Sports Club and St Dunstan's College fields were abuzz with excitement on August 8 as young soccer players from across Gauteng showcased their skills and passion at the annual Schools for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) Schools tournament. With 33 U19 boys' teams and 20 U19 girls' teams competing, the event was a vibrant celebration of sport, inclusion, and determination, proving that talent knows no boundaries. Belvedere School and Daveyton Skills School represented Benoni. Springs' Olympia Park, Kwa-Thema Skills Schools, Kempton Park Panorama, JJ Masipa Technical School and Samson LSEN School represented Ekurhuleni. The tournament was held to select the teams to represent the province at the South African LSEN MID schools soccer week in September. 'We had South African football legends helping us identify the players for next month's soccer week hosted by the Western Cape, in Cape Town. Four teams will represent Gauteng – two boys' and two girls' teams,' said Gauteng LSEN MID Schools Football Association chairperson, Mpho Maseko. He said two teams will come from the combined Gauteng North and Ekurhuleni pools, while the others will be selected from players from the Gauteng West and South regions. 'We are the only province with multiple LSEN MID schools. The players will be selected from our four regions. Gauteng North and Ekurhuleni will have a boys' and girls' team, and we will also have two teams from the combined South and West regions,' he said. Besides this one-day tournament, the schools partake in a league divided into five regions. The winners of each region in the different age groups advance to the provincial knock-outs, with the overall winners going to represent Gauteng in the Noordvaal MID Schools Cup. Maseko added that the tournament was celebrating its 24th anniversary. 'This festival initially included rugby, cricket and netball because back then the MID schools were predominantly white. Football got involved in 2001 to involve the schools in the townships.' League general secretary Matsobane Mashishi said the competition gives the learners, often marginalised, a platform to express themselves without being stigmatised. 'It is a great day for our learners. They face lots of challenges. Some cannot even reveal to their peers which schools they attend to avoid being stigmatised. We are giving them a platform to be themselves. 'You can tell by the atmosphere that they are in a place where they feel welcomed, valued and appreciated. This is what we want as teachers,' Mashishi said. Also Read: All Ages Tournament showcases rising talent Also Read: All Stars and City win crime and GBV awareness tournament
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Gauteng schools excel at LSEN soccer festival
The Benoni Northerns Sports Club and St Dunstan's College fields were abuzz with excitement on August 8 as young soccer players from across Gauteng showcased their skills and passion at the annual Schools for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) Schools tournament. With 33 U19 boys' teams and 20 U19 girls' teams competing, the event was a vibrant celebration of sport, inclusion, and determination, proving that talent knows no boundaries. Belvedere School and Daveyton Skills School represented Benoni. Springs' Olympia Park, Kwa-Thema Skills Schools, Kempton Park Panorama, JJ Masipa Technical School and Samson LSEN School represented Ekurhuleni. ALSO READ: Bedfordview Bowls Club celebrates 100 years with R100k tournament The tournament was held to select the teams to represent the province at the South African LSEN MID schools soccer week in September. 'We had South African football legends helping us identify the players for next month's soccer week hosted by the Western Cape, in Cape Town. 'Four teams will represent Gauteng – two boys' and two girls' teams,' said Gauteng LSEN MID Schools Football Association chairperson, Mpho Maseko. He said two teams will come from the combined Gauteng North and Ekurhuleni pools, while the others will be selected from players from the Gauteng West and South regions. 'We are the only province with multiple LSEN MID schools. The players will be selected from our four regions. Gauteng North and Ekurhuleni will have a boys' and girls' team, and we will also have two teams from the combined South and West regions,' he said. ALSO READ: Action-packed start to SA Schools Netball Tournament as young stars shine Besides this one-day tournament, the schools partake in a league divided into five regions. The winners of each region in the different age groups advance to the provincial knock-outs, with the overall winners going to represent Gauteng in the Noordvaal MID Schools Cup. Maseko added that the tournament was celebrating its 24th anniversary. 'This festival initially included rugby, cricket and netball because back then the MID schools were predominantly white. Football got involved in 2001 to involve the schools in the townships.' League general secretary Matsobane Mashishi said the competition gives the learners, often marginalised, a platform to express themselves without being stigmatised. ALSO READ: Bedfordview Primary hosts action-packed U9 netball and soccer tournament 'It is a great day for our learners. They face lots of challenges. 'Some cannot even reveal to their peers which schools they attend to avoid being stigmatised. We are giving them a platform to be themselves. 'You can tell by the atmosphere that they are in a place where they feel welcomed, valued and appreciated. This is what we want as teachers,' Mashishi said.
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
Gloves on, head high: undefeated teen boxer aims for more titles
In a community with few opportunities for young people, 14-year-old Kate Ugat has built an unbeaten boxing record – thanks to a dedicated coach, Anthony McPherson, who spends his own time and money to keep her in the ring and off the streets. "I said, 'I'm up for the challenge.' When I walked into the club, I saw everyone boxing and told myself I wanted to be one of them." Kate's boxing journey began in 2021, when she was just 11. A friend told her the local boxing club was looking for a female boxer. She had never thrown a punch before, but she didn't hesitate. "I chose boxing because it was something that could take me away from all these teenage things like drinking, smoking and stuff like that," she said. "I chose boxing over everything." Growing up in a community where teenage temptations like drinking and smoking were common, Kate found boxing as a way to focus her energy on something positive. Last September, she was crowned national champion in the 44-46kg category, adding to her Ekurhuleni and Gauteng titles. She maintained her unbeaten record - twelve bouts, twelve wins - a streak she is determined to protect. Ugat is the reigning Gauteng champion in her weight division, undefeated since she first stepped into the ring. In Rabie Ridge, where opportunities for young people are scarce, a 14-year-old girl is punching her way to the top. And behind every jab, hook and uppercut is a coach who spends his own time and money to keep his fighters focused on something bigger than the streets. Undefeated in 12 bouts, Kate Ugat is the reigning provincial champion in her weight division – and plans to defend the national title this October. And the rest is history. Her next competition came the following year - an informal show bout against a boy. "It was never wracking," she says with a shy grin. "But I won." Now, her eyes are set on the October championships, where she plans to defend her title. Inspired by boxing greats Mike Tyson and three-time women's champion Katie Taylor, she dreams of one day meeting Taylor in person. "I like her movement and the power in her punches. I want to get to her level. Meeting her would be a dream come true - a 'wow' moment." Her life runs to a disciplined rhythm: early morning gym before school, homework after classes, and training again in the afternoon. Closer to competitions, she adds morning runs to cut weight if necessary. She's not an "A" student, she admits, but she doing very well at school - something her coach is very proud of. The man in her corner coach Anthony MacPherson saw something in Kate early on. "I can see when someone has the potential to go far. You see it in how they train, their discipline, commitment, their movements and their reaction." McPherson's roots in boxing run deep - his father was a boxer, and the sport has been part of his life since childhood. In 2019, he decided to start his own club in his garage in Rabie Ridge, after discovering there was no boxing in the area, only soccer. It was just before the Covid-19 lockdown. "Every day I saw young people with nothing to do. That really bothered me. I've always wanted to have my own club, not just for boxing but to keep kids off the streets." Today, Beyond Limits Sporting Academy has 10 younger fighters, eight of them already graded and ready to compete. Kate is the first to win competitions. McPherson has a special focus on recruiting female boxers - a rarity in the sport. But the club survives entirely on his personal resources. He lives in Kempton Park but drives to Rabie Ridge most days to train his fighters. There's no permanent training facility - they use a community hall where they can't hang punching bags or make alterations. Equipment is limited: one headgear, two bags and a few pairs of gloves. It's why McPherson is appealing to the public and potential sponsors for help - to secure a dedicated space, buy equipment and give his fighters the environment they need to grow. "The most important things is space. If we had dedicated premises, we could do so much more. It's a big struggle. I don't want to complain and make it all about that, but here I have a champion without any sponsors. It proves you can do it. Yes, we need support - but that doesn't mean you sit back and wait for it. You carry on and make something with what you have." He doesn't charge fees, knowing most families can't afford them. "Without my wife and kids I would not be able to do this, he says. " We fund it from our own home." Changing more than records For McPherson, success isn't just measured by trophies. "It's not about the club being recognised - it's about the boxers excelling, not just in the ring, but in life. As long as you turn out to be a better person, I'll be happy." Kate is proof. Her teachers have told McPherson her manners have improved, her marks have gone up, and she's chosen better friends since she started boxing. "She's here because of the works she has put in," he says. "I tell all my kids - you can all do it, just bring your side.
