Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Centre for Student Communities (CSC) and Maties Sport recently launched a new initiative for students wanting to improve their wellness, without having to be formal athletes.
The Matie Run was organised with the intention of encouraging SU students and the greater Stellenbosch community to get active and look after their physical wellness. This is according to Keagan van Aarde, sport manager for athletics, cricket and chess at Maties Sport.
“The goal behind the Matie Run is, quite simply, to have an active Stellenbosch Campus and then hopefully to expand into an active Stellenbosch town. This initiative will also focus on providing an opportunity to the students who don’t want to take part in any formal campus leagues but just want to have a better wellness plan,” said Keagan van Aarde, sport manager for Maties Sport athletics, cricket and chess. PHOTO: Jamie Venter
“This initiative will also focus on providing an opportunity to the students who don’t necessarily want to take part in any formal campus leagues, but just want to have a better wellness plan,” said Van Aarde.
The initiative was launched on 13 April and is set to operate as a full year project, with plans to alter the running route every three weeks, according to Van Aarde.
What is the Matie Run?
The Matie Run is a running route that members of the SU community are encouraged to tackle, through which the CSC hopes to encourage better student wellness, according to Pieter Kloppers, director of the CSC.
“We know that increasing fitness and doing things together both have a positive influence on work performance. As we increase the numbers, we want to introduce it into the cluster sport where clusters compete on the number of participants,” Kloppers said.
The route currently begins and ends at the soccer B field at the Coetzenburg sports fields. “The first three runs will be 3 km, then we will have some changes in the route. We are looking to utilise the mountain completely and [have] a few other ideas as well,” said Van Aarde.
The Matie Run initiative was started by Stellenbosch University’s Maties Sport and the Centre for Student Communities (CSC) to increase recreational opportunities and “fill the void left by the parkruns currently absent in Stellenbosch”, said Pieter Kloppers, director of the CSC. He said he hopes that the initiative will take off and looks forward to a potential future Matie run-swim-run in the future. PHOTO: Jamie Venter
The Matie Run takes place every Wednesday evening at 18:00, and every Saturday morning from 08:15, according to the posters for the initiative circulated by the CSC. Anyone is welcome to join “from the undergraduate student to the senior management team of the university”, said Van Aarde.
Benefits for students
“The fact that [Matie Run is] organised through the university and that anyone is welcome creates a cool opportunity to meet other people who are also into running,” said Rebecca le Roux, a fourth-year student at Stellenbosch University. “I hope more people join and that the group grows over the semester.”
“I think [Matie Run is] actually a nice social opportunity because anyone can come, and it’s not as formal as the university athletics, Maties Athletics Club, where you kind of have to be a serious athlete,” said Rebecca le Roux, a fourth-year student at Stellenbosch University. AUDIO: Jessica Hillier
Van Aarde explained that scientific research backs up the physical benefits and that “30 to 60 minutes of training actually has huge benefits towards mental health and physical well-being”.
“It could also be a healthy opportunity for students to break away from academics for a bit,” Van Aarde added.