FREE STATE CHEETAHS ROBERT EBERSOHN OFFERS WORDS OF INSPIRATION TO COCA-COLA CRAVEN WEEK CAPTAINS

Use the opportunities that come your way to the best of your ability, but don’t despair if things don’t always go your way.

That was the message to the captains of the 20 teams playing at the Coca-Cola Craven Week in Kimberley from Cheetahs Super rugby centre Robert Ebersohn, who was the guest at the traditional “Captain’s Hour” held on Friday night.

Ebersohn, who was one of the stars of the all-conquering Free State Craven Week side in Stellenbosch in 2007, told the captains that while the Coca-Cola Craven Week, and being selected for the SA Schools side afterwards, made a huge impact on him, many of his current Cheetahs team mates, and even some of the current Springboks, never received those honours yet they carried on working at the game and eventually made it.

Ebersohn related to the captains his 10 guiding principles for rugby, and life. They were, in summary:

1. Carpe Diem – seize the day, don’t let time go by without using it fully.
2. Be aware of life’s “20-80” rule - Make sure you are in the 20% that influences the world positively and not in the other 80%.
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff. - The world is not a perfect place, if you worry too much about minor details you will never get the important stuff done.
4. Under-promise and over-deliver – Be realistic about what you say you will do, and then do all you can to keep your word, and more.
5. Always make sure the juice is worth the squeeze – As an athlete taking care of your body is crucial. Think of the consequences before you partake in the pleasures of life.
6. Heed Psalm 20 verse 7: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:
   but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God” – nothing is possible without belief in a higher power.
7. Don’t confuse the moment in life with life itself – in rugby, as in life, you need to put individual incidents behind you and get on with things.
8. Family first – always remember where you come from, and that when all others forsake you, your family will still be there for you.
9. What makes them tick? – as a captain you need to know what the motivational trigger of each individual player is.
10. Make sure your centre pole is strong – if the centre pole of a tent collapses the tent goes down, no matter how many poles around the fringes remain standing. So too, you must ensure you are solidly anchored in what is important to you.

Ebersohn said he is not ashamed to say that Jesus Christ is the centre pole in his life.

Rugby could not have a better ambassador and the team captains will leave the 2011 Coca-Cola Craven Week with some weighty pointers for their futures, in and out of rugby.

Of the 40 years of its existence, Coca-Cola has been part of the week for the past 26, a statistic the company is proud of.  “Coca-Cola sponsors tournaments at the highest level and we are fully aware that no country can be successful without a strong development programme in place and Coca-Cola has played a major role in finding Springboks.  More than 90 percent of the current squad have competed in one of the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks,” said Zayd Abrahams, Head of Sparkling Beverages, Coca-Cola South Africa.

Abrahams said further: “But the four weeks we are involved with, namely the Coca-Cola U13, Academy, Under 16 and Under 18 weeks are also about living for a difference and living a healthy lifestyle.  These are the messages we also promote throughout each tournament.”

Johan Goosen and Robert Ebersohn during the Coca-Cola U18 Craven Week captain's hour at GWK Function Hall

Robert Ebersohn during the Coca-Cola U18 Craven Week captain's hour at GWK Function Hall