STRENGTH THROUGH THE SEASONS
Sports administrators have always been the backbone of UWC’s sporting success By Lyndon Julius
T
he backbone of any successful sports body or organisation is the people behind the scenes, the ones who run the administration, ensuring all the stars on the pitch are taken care of. And this applies to both professional and amateur setups. At the University of the Western Cape (UWC), these worker bees have been instrumental in the success of the University’s sporting teams for the past sixty years. Many academic institutions that fought the liberation struggle of our country boast an arsenal of sound and very prolific sports administrators. It can oftentimes feel that being organised and structured was the default when fighting an oppressive government. Which is why Blue & Gold tapped three of UWC’s top and most long-serving administrators on their more than 30-year careers. In their time at Udubs, Messrs Andrew Wrankmore, Edwin Wyngaard and Derick Orderson have always served alongside the University’s leadership to bring the best out of UWC athletes. The amazing achievement of these gentlemen is that they obtained their degrees at a very advanced age, sending a strong message of hope to so many not only within
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the sporting world but also anyone who applies their mind to their goals. Starting out as a squash court supervisor, Wrankmore recalls the squash courts as a place that was the humdrum of social gatherings in the late Eighties. According to Wrankmore, who obtained his Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Honours during his time at UWC, the courts were filled from the early hours until late at night with some of the country’s most profound leaders after they had spent all day at the grind with their books. “I started as a squash court supervisor at the end of 1987, which was the hey-day of squash on campus,” he says proudly. “Courts were filled from 8.30 am
until 9 pm, and this was the case until the late Nineties. “The squash courts were very popular among students but plenty of academics were regulars, too. The likes of Prof Tyrone Pretorious and former South African ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rassool, the current Student Development Manager Winston Middleton, and many others.” Like his fellow UWC alumnus, Wyngaard started out as a squash court supervisor. A few years down the line, he would go on to administer a host of other sporting codes, leaving an indelible mark on the University’s rich history of sports. With many medals, trophies and awards during his illustrious career, Wyngaard was also able to
