The impressive North West University has been the backdrop for a dynamic SASCOC High Performance Indaba this week, attended by leading stakeholders in the organisation as the way forward for sport in the country has been charted.
On Thursday night, the executive mayor of JB Marks local municipality, Gaba KaQuele, paid a visit to the venue where he took time out from his SONA commitments to welcome the SASCOC delegation.
“Welcome to Potch, this is our base, this is our town,” he said. “We pride ourself a city that is developing into a major player and we take a lot of interest in sport. We really appreciate SASCOC being here, and being here to work with us and also to offer guidance in other areas. Sport has many spinoffs, some of them economic and we have a strong relationship with SASCOC.
“SASCOC is a special stakeholder in our vision for our city and it’s with thanks to them that Potch was chosen as the city, and North West University as the venue, to hold such important strategy sessions that will impact the future of sport.”
In his acknowledgement of the Executive Mayor’s visit, the president of SASCOC, Mr Barry Hendricks, said: “Thank you for the hospitality you have shown us, thank you for coming to this important workshop. To the university and to the people who helped make this workshop a reality, a big thank you as well.
“This workshop is all about taking South African sport to the next level and it’s all happening in your city. It’s all good news and you’re part of history. While there are stakeholders present here in this university, others have also joined us virtually, contributing immensely to the way forward in South African sport.”
Included in the SASCOC delegation at the workshop, apart from its President, are 2nd vice-president Debbie Alexander and Board members Kim Pople and Khotso Mokoena, who is also chair of the Athletes’ Commission.
As one walks around the impressive facilities of North West University, there’s also reminders everywhere about the excellence that has passed through the facilities. Signed team shirts in frames are on the walls and taking pride of place in the room where the SASCOC HP Indaba has been taking place are personally signed framed photos of the players from Spain’s 2010 Fifa World Cup squad.
Spain were based at North West University during the 2010 World Cup … they went on to lift the most prestigious trophy in sport.