Latest news with #Afrikaans
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Promising young hockey player dreams big
At only 14 years old, Megan Reid is making a name for herself as one of the East Rand's most promising young goalkeepers. Representing Hoërskool Oosterlig's U14 A hockey team, Megan's sharp reflexes, unwavering dedication, and fierce determination have already earned her opportunities beyond her years. From provincial trials to international team selections, her journey is a testament to talent backed by hard work, and she is only getting started. Tell us about your hockey journey. When and how did you become interested in hockey? I started playing hockey in Grade One at Laerskool Baanbreker. In 2021, I became the goalie for the U10 team. I could not finish the 2022 tryouts because of illness. However, I returned stronger in 2024 and reclaimed my position. That same year, I joined the Backstixxx Hockey Club for extra training. The Eastern Gauteng Quaggas approached me to join them for the PSI Nationals in Cape Town. What do you enjoy most about being a goalkeeper? Not having to run the whole field. But in all honesty, it's where I feel most at peace. It's the place where I can turn my fears and frustrations into determination and focus on winning the game. Being a goalie has lit a fire inside me – the fire to prove to all the doubters that I can do anything I set my mind to. What does a typical week of training look like for you? • Monday: School training (14:30 to15:45), Backstixxx Hockey Club (16:00 to17:00) • Tuesday: School training (14:30 to 16:00) • Wednesday: School training (14:30 to 16:00), specialised goalie training at Backstixxx (18:00 to20:00) • Thursday: School training (14:30 to 16:00) • Friday: If needed, school training (14:00 to 15:30), Backstixxx (16:00 to17:00) • Weekends: Game days, depending on fixtures, either for Hoërskool Oosterlig or Backstixxx Galaxies • Holidays: Backstixxx Club training and solo skills/stamina practice at home. What was it like being selected for the Knights U19 team for the Netherlands International Hockey Tournament? I was shocked when they chose me. I never imagined there would be so many opportunities available to me. Unfortunately, my family and I had to decline the opportunity because of financial constraints. Your team recently placed third at the NWU Tournament. How did that feel? I'm proud of my team and, of course, myself. We had some tough matches, but with great coaching and the support of our families, we pushed through and succeeded. You were the only goalie from the East Rand to reach the final round of the Bokkieweek trials. What did that mean to you? I was honoured to be the only goalie chosen for the Eastern Gauteng High Performance Squad and Bokkieweek. I did not make the final team for Easterns, but just training with them was a privilege. I'm proud to represent the Oos-Transvaal U14 Bokkieweek team, which recently won gold. It's been a dream to play for such a prestigious association that creates opportunities for Afrikaans sportspeople. Have you faced any challenges or setbacks on your journey? The main challenges I've faced have been financial. My parents have sacrificed a lot to ensure I have the opportunities and equipment I need to grow. I'm grateful for everything they have done to support me. What are your short-term and long-term goals in hockey? In the short term, I want to be the best goalie for my school and the Backstixxx Hockey Club. Long-term, I hope to earn a university bursary and, of course, represent my country. How do you stay motivated and focused, especially during tough games? I hype myself up with upbeat music before matches — I even sing and dance on the field sometimes! My parents and younger sister are my rocks. If I miss a save, they're there cheering me on and reminding me that mistakes happen. Mistakes mean I'm trying, and that keeps me going. What would sponsorship mean to you and your family right now? It would mean the world. My parents do everything they can, but goalie gear isn't cheap. To play your best, you need the best. My dream is to own an OBO Robo high-rebound goalie kit. Right now, I'm using a mismatched kit that was bought with love, and I'm grateful for it. Sponsorships would help me attend more tournaments and grow further. It's hard to keep asking for donations, although kind people have helped along the way. Sponsorship would ease the pressure and open up more doors. Those who wish to assist Megan may send an email to [email protected] Also Read: Hockey a lifelong love for Bryan Also Read: Northerns invites you to hockey clinic on Youth Day At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Young Aleah shows off linguistic talent
AT just eight years old, Virginia resident Aleah Ramouthar has shown off a natural aptitude for learning and speaking Mandarin. The Grade Three learner at Glenashley Junior Primary recently placed second in the country at the fifth 'Chinese Bridge' Chinese Show for Primary School Students competition in Cape Town. Incredibly, she only started learning Mandarin in February this year. Also read: Durban North resident shapes bodyboarding journey She was recommended by the Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology and the competition saw Aleah recite a poem, as well as share her journey and love for the Mandarin language and culture. Besides showcasing her linguistic talents, Aleah was also the youngest contestant at the competition. 'I'm very happy with my results. I had a three-minute speech which I memorised and learnt with my teacher. I gave a self-introduction, spoke about how I started learning Mandarin and I told the judges how much I love Chinese culture, especially the outfits. My goal is to enter next year and hopefully go all the way,' she said. Aleah was inspired by her teacher Vivian Zeng, who works for the Confucius Institute based at DUT. 'Last year my niece, Mahi Roopchund, placed first in this very same competition. I taught her privately and also gave a demo at her school, Glenashley Junior Primary. Because of that they asked if I would consider extra-murals. That's how it started and Aleah's mother signed her up for the classes. She has shown how talented she is, especially as she only started learning Mandarin recently,' Zeng said. Also read: Glen Hills church stitches for charitable causes Aleah's mother Diana said this experience has transformed her daughter. 'Aleah is one of three and she is a very shy young girl. We were just amazed when we heard her speaking on stage and reciting a poem on stage so confidently. She is certainly the first in the family to learn another language other than Afrikaans and English. I think Vivian's demo really inspired Aleah because she came home with a registration form. She was so persistent that she wanted to learn Mandarin and I actually signed her up on the day the first lesson was taught. We are so proud of her and we are grateful to Vivian who also inspired her and encouraged her to take part,' she said. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Long journey from Kriefgat — Stellies soccer star Tylon Smith nets deal with UK's Queens Park Rangers
After years of hardship and grit the determined 20-year-old central defender has landed a life-changing deal with Queens Park Rangers. Many a night as he lay on the small bed that his divorced mother, Nicolette, insisted he slept on, while she slept on the floor in the wooden structure that was their home, young Tylon Christopher Smith vowed: one day he would make it big as a soccer player. Then he would buy his mother a decent, comfortable home. These weren't just words to console himself – they were serious intentions. Smith, the youngest of three children, saw his mother refusing to allow poverty to destroy her family. He watched and learnt from her as she shared what little she had with others who had less than she had in Kriefgat, an informal settlement in Jamestown on the fringes of Stellenbosch, where they lived. In Kriefgat, a derogatory Afrikaans word that means the rear end of a lobster, community activist Nicolette inspired her son, who was born on 9 May 2005. They were very poor – so poor that he remembers playing soccer matches in a pair of borrowed boots until the captain of Stellenbosch FC gave him his first pair of boots when he was 14 years old. Smith cannot remember having had his own ball to dribble or kick around as a child. As a youngster, he played as a striker, a position that means plenty of goals. Today, as a 20-year-old soccer player, he is a central defender: a stopper of strikers. In an interview early in July, Smith, who has developed into one of South Africa's hottest young football talents, spoke about the impact of his parents' divorce, poverty, hard times and better times ahead. He is on the cusp of making it big in England, having been offered a four-year contract with the English side Queens Park Rangers (QPR), who play in the EFL Championship, the division below the Premier League. QPR has been quietly tracking his progress for the past few years. Unbeknown to him, a scout was watching the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt earlier this year. South Africa beat Morocco 1-0 in the final in Cairo on 18 May. Smith impressed as he marshalled the defence throughout the tournament. He was named player of the tournament. The tournament convinced QPR that they would have to sign the young man from Stellenbosch. He was invited to hold discussions with the club via Zoom. 'I was shocked to learn that QPR had been monitoring me for more than a year. They showed me a contract. This was a life-changing offer. I will now be able to give my mother a better life. I've always said I would buy her a house. Now I'll do it.' Charming, confident and oozing maturity and humility, Smith carries the nickname Rafa. In the comfortable lounge of the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport, where he now lives, he recalled times when he had no money for the minibus taxi fare from Kriefgat to Stellenbosch. 'I would say, 'It's fine, Ma'. I didn't skip practices on these occasions. A friend and I would jog along the R44 to Stellenbosch FC's training ground. We didn't beg people for lifts. We jogged.' That was a 7km run, followed by a full practice session. Running was one of his favourite sports. Indeed, he got into Stellenbosch Primary School on an athletics scholarship given to him because of his promise as a 100m sprinter. This is a former model C school. Attending it was a big step into the unknown for a township boy. 'They didn't look down on me. I was welcomed,' he said. From primary school, he had a short stint at Stellenbosch High School. He struggled to get to school and back every day because the family didn't have money and Smith urged his mother to transfer him to a school closer to home in Jamestown, which she did. When he was in Grade 11, he was included in Stellenbosch FC's Diski team (reserve team) and was selected to play in a tournament in India. On his return, he was offered a contract. 'I was serious about football. I had to decide whether I would sign for Stellenbosch's under-21 team or concentrate on school. I couldn't do both, because as a professional footballer I would have to practise in the morning when I was supposed to be in a classroom. I chose football.' Committing himself to Stellenbosch FC entailed moving into digs at the club's soccer academy, which is at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport next to the Eerste River in the hub of Stellenbosch. Life at the academy includes bonuses such as regular and special meals prepared to build up the bodies of young soccer professionals, a warm bed and a room that he shares with another player, his bestie Kegan Johannes. Last season, he said, his mother watched two of his games. 'She always said that she would like to come to more matches. She couldn't afford to come to more games. She also has a hip problem and can't walk normally.' The QPR offer will change his life radically. He will earn 'money that people can only dream of. My mother lives with my sister, Chantall. Now I can buy a house for my mother… even one for myself should I want to. My mother's influence on my life is huge. She is a praying person. Her strong moral values and discipline kept me away from the distractions of township life like hanging out in shebeens or nightclubs.' He carries his nickname, Rafa, with pride and in honour of former Stellenbosch FC captain Rafiek (Rafa) de Goede and not the Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. 'I was a ball boy and used to retrieve the balls that the senior players kicked off the field when they played. Rafa was also a defender. I liked his style. He gave me my first pair of boots: a pair of Adidas. Having my own boots meant a lot to me.' Smith is in England this week for a battery of strenuous medical tests as a prelude to signing his contract to play professional football in the country. It's been a long, hard journey from Kriefgat to English football, but one that was worth travelling. When Daily Maverick spoke to Nicolette, she couldn't contain her excitement and pride. She is overjoyed that she will be able to fly to London to watch her son play. ''We have been through dark times. I'm so happy that things are working out. I've prayed so hard. Tylon knows, all glory goes to God.' DM Dennis Cruywagen is a journalist and the author of Brothers in War and Peace, and The Spiritual Mandela. This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
The Springbok who kept coming back — the making of new Bulls coach Johan Ackermann
Johan Ackermann was named new Bulls coach this past week. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix In 2001, the Cats rugby team was on a Super 12 tour in Australia. On the rowdy bus trip to a training session, something was said that annoyed Johan Ackermann. When the bus broke out in laughter at the offending remark, Ackermann quietly got up and walked to the front of the bus, took the microphone, and sternly said in Afrikaans: 'Make a queue. I don't want to go looking for anyone.' No one moved and the journey continued in reverent silence. That encapsulates the presence commanded by a giant who was mostly gentle, but not always ... 🚨 Official: Johan Ackermann is the new Head Coach of the Vodacom Bulls! 🐃 A former Vodacom Bulls player, Springbok and 3x SA Coach of the Year 🏆 💬 'His blood is blue.' 💬 'A dream come true.' FULL PRESS RELEASE: — Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) July 16, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading And that reminds me of a Sharks training session I watched in 2005. The forwards were embroiled in a robust mauling session. Suddenly, there was a mighty bellow and from the centre of the maul, players were flung in all directions, like toothpicks, until there was just Johan Ackermann, the epitome of the Incredible Hulk. Except his face was red, not green. Somebody (surely mistakenly) had grabbed the big man in the nether region, and the response was volcanic. Ackermann was from the old school, a throwback to the amateur era of Springbok invincibility when rugby was a peace-time form of warfare, a theatre in which men aspired to the virtues of courage, loyalty and brotherhood. Johan Ackermann during his playing days for the Springboks. Ackermann played 13 Test for SA. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Men like Ackermann, who was an anachronism in the modern era, where many are pampered prima donnas. Consider that this guy's career spanned an incredible two decades – his final match, for the Sharks against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in 2008, was 20 years after he had made his debut on the same ground for Northern Transvaal Under-20. He had shoulder surgery four times, knee surgery twice, a serious neck problem, and a two-year suspension for use of a banned substance. He had careers with the Bulls, Lions, Cats, Sharks and Griquas, and played club rugby in Italy and England. He had three separate Springbok careers, with five-year exiles in between each stint. He was the oldest man to play for the Springboks (37) until overtaken by Victor Matfield and Schalk Brits (both 38). After finishing at the Sharks, for good measure, he played two seasons of club rugby for Cape Town club Hamiltons. Canan Moodie with the unthinkable... Bumped off Ox Nche 🤯 Who wins that rematch? 👇@Vodacom #URC — Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) July 17, 2025 Like that Old Man River in the famous song about the Mississippi, Ackermann kept rolling on, occasionally tumbling down waterfalls, recovering to shoot the rapids. So Ackermann's career went full circle — he tapered off at club rugby, which was where he started with Pretoria Police after finishing school in Benoni in 1987. 'And what days they were,' he told me in 2009. 'We used to eat steak and chips on a Friday night before a game, washed down with beer. Now it is Powerade and pasta! 'I had no rugby pedigree when I started but found myself in a Police team that was packed with Bulls,' he recalled. 'There was tremendous camaraderie, and that is why I chose to finish at club level, so that my family could experience the fun of a Saturday afternoon at the club, with the kids kicking a ball around and the braai afterwards. 'I wish more youngsters would continue with rugby after school so that they can experience the social side of rugby.' Ackermann's early days in Pretoria's unforgiving Carlton Cup moulded him into a no-quarter-given type of lock. 'Half the armed forces were stationed in Pretoria at that time and club rugby was bloody fierce,' he recalled. 'You had to dish it out and you had to take it. If the opposition wavered, you had them. That was how we won the games against the students — we won the fights,' he laughed. But this Sherman tank ploughing through the opposition is at odds with the silent giant off the field. 'When I put on the jersey, it is like putting on armour for battle,' he explained. 'Afterwards, I take the armour off and shake hands. But for the 80 minutes, the opposition is the enemy and they must lose. Simple! 'Playing rugby is more than sport,' he continued. 'It is about loyalty to your mates and the spectators. Can you look in the mirror if you have not given your all?' It was on August 3, 1996, that Ackermann's life changed. It was the Springboks versus the Wallabies in Bloemfontein in a Tri-Nations match. Ackermann was playing in his fourth Test. At 26, he had the rugby world before him until he was stretchered off with a knee injury. 'I had an operation and the prognosis was that I could play again in three months, but after three weeks the knee was so sore I could hardly walk,' he said gravely. 'A biokineticist at the Police College said he had worked with people recovering from accidents and used a medication that 'kick-started' muscle recovery. I used this stuff just once because it did nothing for the knee, and I forgot about it.' At the beginning of 1997, Ackermann was in a Bok squad announced by Andre Markgraaff for fitness testing. 'Two weeks later I was told I had tested positive for a banned substance.' Ackermann had been given bad advice at a time when sport was still waking up to the perils of steroid use. 'It was a very dark time for me,' he said. 'A two-year sentence for something I used once and which did not help? I was devastated, an emotional wreck at first and then an angry bull. The loss of earnings did not bother me. It was missing out on playing the All Blacks and the British Lions of '97. It was agony to know I should have been part of it, but for a horrible misunderstanding.' The disappointment gave way to a hunger to play again for the Boks. 'I felt obligated to my family, friends and fans to play again. There was unfinished business. I wanted to prove that making the Boks had not been a fluke.' Ackermann was offered a lifeline by former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains, who coached the Lions and Cats in 2000 and 2001. 'Laurie brought discipline to our rugby and our good form helped me to get picked by (Bok coach) Harry Viljoen, and my first Test back (the 20-15 win over France in Durban in 2001) brought immense relief.' Ackermann played four Tests before dislocating a shoulder, underwent surgery and then dislocated it again. 'I was down and out. Nobody wanted to take a chance on my suspect shoulder. Then Andre Markgraaff at Griquas took a gamble and signed me for two years.' Markgraaff believed in Ackermann. He gave him his first Springbok cap in 1996, persuaded Viljoen to pick him in 2001 and he took him in when nobody wanted him in 2003. So in 2004 and 2005, Ackermann played in the Currie Cup for Griquas and during the Super 12 season he played club rugby in Italy. Another former Springbok coach, Rudolf Straeuli, offered Ackermann a contract with the Sharks and by the end of 2006, Ackermann was once more a Springbok under Jake White. 'The third time was like the first time. We toured the UK and Ireland, which I had never done before, and to play at Twickenham for the first time and at that stage of my career was very special.' In two decades, Ackermann went through it all: injuries, suspension, small unions, big unions, a little club in Italy and Northampton Saints in England, and three stints with the Boks. After all of this, what means the most to him? 'Each time I was handed a Springbok jersey I felt overwhelming pride, and if my career can inspire even one player to fight back from adversity, I will have served South African rugby.' Ackermann has had a highly successful career as a coach. He pulled the Lions out of a nosedive and guided them to three Super Rugby finals. He also led Gloucester to success in the English Premiership and coached the Red Hurricanes in Japan. This is an extract from Mike Greenaway's best-selling book, The Fireside Springbok.
The South African
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Tops employee caught on CCTV dancing to Afrikaans song
Viral videos never seem to dry up on the World Wide Web. Isn't it wild how there's always something bizarre or hilarious making the rounds? From people surfing shopping trolleys on highways to cringeworthy challenge fails, the Internet never stops surprising us. The latest viral sensation has grabbed the attention of millions, racking up likes and shares all over social media. Today's Eish Wena segment features a Tops employee who went viral after being caught on the store's CCTV dancing to an Afrikaans song. Watch the video below @ When that one Afrikaans song just hits different in Ladismith Tops !! #spar #tops #southafrica #kurtdarren ♬ original sound – Ladismith Spar Need your news quickly? Visit The South African website for all you need to know. Enjoy a wide variety of videos from news, lifestyle, travel, sports, viral videos and lots more! There is always something to watch here! Why not follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok while you're at it? Get ALL the news you need to know on the go at your convenience! Submit your videos for a chance to be featured in the daily Viral Video article and get your name mentioned. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
