DRIVING FORCE

DRIVING FORCE Former Director of Sport Ilhaam Groenewald shares her story of leadership and change that has helped catapult UWC Sport to where it is today

“I am a non-negotiator when it comes to results and I expect the same to be expected from me. While this may well be in my nature, it is something that was nurtured to maturity by my many mentors during my time at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). And for this, I am forever grateful.

“My memories of Udubs Sport are rich — not just because I met my husband, Yusuf, through volleyball in 1991 but as I was given the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, and was supported by many to realise my vision for a credible sports department at the University with outstanding facilities to match.

“I came from Keimoes in the Northern Cape to Cape Town to study Business Administration at PenTech (now the Cape Peninsula University of Technology or CPUT) in 1988. I was here to study what would form the foundation of my career in sports and to realise my passion: societal transformation through sports. Being active in student politics and serving on the Student Representative Council (SRC) fuelled my learning and, in 1991, I took my first (initially unpaid) job as an administrator in the UWC Political Science department under Dr Vincent Maphai (who persuaded the late Prof Jakes Gerwel to finally give me a paid contract after a few months!).

“The world of sport is changing constantly and my business studies and continued learning — I later received my Master’s Degree in Sports Management at Udubs — have benefited me greatly in sports leadership. That leadership began as a member of the Udubs volleyball club on the executive committee. It was an entry into Sports Council meetings, which I chaired for a period.

“I joined UWC Sport as a sports administrator in 1999, thanks to former Registrar Dr Julian Smith who recognised my passion and talent, before being promoted to Senior Sports Administrator within two years. Two years later, I was appointed as head — the youngest and only black woman head of sports within the higher education sports environment.

“At that time, the performance of codes was poor and it was time to implement a change that would take care of staff, student-athletes, coaches, facilities and programmes. The people who continued to inspire me during tough times were then-Vice-Chancellor Prof Brian O’Connell and Institutional Planner Larry Pokpas, simply because of their rich sports history and their belief in the role of sports.

“Prof Lullu Tshiwula, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support, and Khaya Magopeni (office management) were a pair who believed in the importance of holistic development of studentathletes and persuaded UWC to invest in student-athletes through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), headed by Mr Mike Kwatsha. In fact, the

entire staff complement, including Dr Birgit Schreiber, Mark Seale and Dr Manoj Bagwandeen who took great care of the health of our student-athletes,was critical to helping me reposition UWC Sport into the institution it now is.

“I managed to find additional budget for bursaries and the appointment of coaching and other staff and even got the goahead to write a plan to upgrade the sports facilities. The upgrade required a major investment so it took time. However, the dream to upgrade the entire stadium infrastructure became a reality just before I left the University.

“I am privileged and proud to have been a part of the upgrade of the facilities, developing a business case that resulted in the approval of a long-term plan of investment, including receiving funds from higher education, ensuring the role of historically disadvantaged institutions (HDIs)

are respected and recognised, and being part of the Varsity Cup launch in 2010 that resulted in the establishment of the Varsity Shield.

“And, today, UWC has earned its place in the prestigious Varsity Cup competition.

“Establishing the Varsity Sports competition was definitely not an easy journey as I worked with the legendary Francois Pienaar and was called a sell-out. Today, this competition and the Varsity Cup are the best varsity competitions in South Africa, well supported by historically black universities and providing opportunities for children at school to reach their dreams.

“I am also very proud of the leadership development and involvement opportunities provided for so many of our student-athletes and staff at the University of the Western Cape.

“My personal recognition is,

MY MEMORIES OF UDUBS SPORT ARE RICH ... AS I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW

in part, as a result of the great history and commitment UWC has always had towards a better South Africa and the leadership profile since our democratic elections in 1994 speaks volumes. The senior leadership, staff and students both supported my involvement and contributed in so many special ways to my journey.

“Today, I am still in contact with student-athletes and ex-colleagues and they will forever remain special to me. UWC itself will always have a special place in my heart.

“The lesson we can all learn from UWC is that irrespective of the deficit in resources, the institution has attracted some of the best sporting talents, many coming from outside of the Western Cape. And, whatever it was going to take, nobody was going to stop me from demonstrating how successful Udubs could be!

“My role as Chief Director at Stellenbosch University’s Maties Sport and as a senior leader at the University demonstrates the power of sports in changing lives.

“I am a product of this and it is through opportunities, hard work, learning, growth, respect and embracing our diversity that we are able to make a difference.

“I am a product of Udubs Sport!”

Ilhaam Groenewald is currently the Chief Director of Maties Sport at Stellenbosch University, a life president of University Sports South Africa USSA), the first woman to be appointed to the board of the South AfricanRugby Union (SARU), the 2014 UWC Chancellor’s Outstanding Alumni Award winner and the recipient of a Ministerial Award for contribution to women in sport (2019). She is credited as being the driving force behind positioning UWC Sport as an integral part of the student experience and placing its student-athletes on the national and international stage.