The annual Powerade Performance Academy
continued to be a huge success in Port Elizabeth last weekend. It saw coaches
from around the Eastern Cape listen to expert performance coaches as part of an
interactive session of empowering and enriching lessons for school coaches.
Powerade has aimed much of its focus on high school coaches in recognition of
their role as primary influencers of the next generation of South Africa’s
sporting heroes.
Malibongwe Maketa assistant coach
to the Proteas, Verlie Oosthuizen Partner and Head of Social Media Law at
Shepston and Wyrle Associates, John McGrath Luvo Manyonga’s High Performance
coach and Motivational speaker and Kass Naidoo South Africa’s first women
cricket commentator and founder of GSports took the coaches on a journey of
discovery as they spoke to them about various aspects of coaching and youth
development.
Proteas assistant coach,
Malibongwe Maketa, explored the topic of identifying talent and about coaching
a diverse team, “Coaches are in the position where they can change someone’s
life on a daily basis. If there is one thing, I hope the coaches understood the
reality of dealing with a group of different characters from different
backgrounds. Additionally, coaches need to learn how to deal with their
players, get the best out of the different characters and ensure players accept
each other and work together for the benefit of the team.”
Social Media Lawyer, Verlie
Oosthuizen, enlightened the coaches about the dynamics of social media and how
coaches can orientate players adequately to benefit the team and the players.
“Social media needs to be used responsibly and consciously, otherwise the
reputation of all school stakeholders will be compromised. Coaches are often
under fire by parents and old student from schools, so they need to be educated
on the best practice of social media conduct either professionally and/or
personally.”
John McGrath, High Performance
Coach tackled the mental side of preparing sports men and women. “In shifting
paradigms, it is about abandoning preconceived ideas that people have about
their abilities and about what is conceived as a boundary.” he said. McGrath
illustrated practical examples of breaking boundaries by bending nails,
breaking chains, tearing packs of cards and breaking an adjustable wrench. “These
are all metaphors for what you can do and what is possible. Everyone has an
inner voice that prevents us from achieving our goals and it is up to us to
decide if we would like to listen to that voice or not.”
The coaches were honoured by our
last speaker, Kass Naidoo, who is the first South African Women’s commentator
and advocate of women’s sport. “It is important for coaches to consider the six
routines of success as I believe that if you follow and you keep the basics in
line you will achieve the desired success.”
Coaching continues to be an
ever-transforming discipline that incorporates innovative techniques and
principles to improve performance. The Academy allowed the coaches from the
various schools and sporting codes to go back to their respective schools in
the spirit of “teach one, teach all’.
For more information, visit
Powerade Facebook page (@PoweradeZA) and #AlwaysForward.
Notes to Editor
Speakers for
Performance Academy in Port Elizabeth
Malibongwe
Maketa: Current Proteas assistant coach and former coach of
the Warriors Cricket Team.
Topic: Identifying talent
Verlie
Oosthuizen: Partner
and Head of Social Media Law at Shepston and Wyrle Associates.
Topic: Beware of Social Media
John McGrath: Luvo Manyonga’s high
performance coach, World-renowned high-performance coach and last Strongman of
Africa and Motivational speaker and performance artist
Topic: Changing sports paradigms
Kass Naidoo: 20 years in journalism,
South Africa’s first women cricket commentator and founder of GSports
Topic: Six of the best
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