Over a thousand Stellenbosch University (SU) students recently participated in a campus sport night aimed at promoting active lifestyles, according to the event’s project lead Anche Nortje.
Basketball action at Stellenbosch University’s campus sport bumper night on 6 March. PHOTO: Nicholas Gleeson
SU’s Maties Sport showcased 10 of its sporting codes during the first campus sport bumper night, held at the Coetzenburg sports grounds on 6 March, according to Nortje.
The sports on show included basketball, hockey, cricket, waterpolo, netball, chess and e-sports, with some of the action – including football, three-on-three basketball, five-a-side hockey, and netball events – being streamed on the SuperSport Schools app, according to the Maties Sport Instagram account.
Activities open to all
The evening also included Recreational and Active Lifestyle Unit (RALU) activities such as tug-of-war, ultimate frisbee, outside aerobics and the Matie run, an outdoor run open to all students, said Nortje.
“I think there’s a big need for students to just pitch and be active so that’s basically the idea,” said Nortje. This was the first campus sport bumper night of six to be held this year, according to the Maties Sport website.
Players warming up for their fixture at Stellenbosch University’s campus sport bumper night on 6 March. PHOTO: Nicholas Gleeson
“[SU] want to cater for all those students who just want to come and play for fun and engage and make new friends,” said Maties basketball and netball manager Charlé Swart.
“SuperSport Schools doesn’t only want to become a competition-based, high-intensity, high-pressure platform […] We want to cater for a wide variety so that each and every individual that participates doesn’t feel like they need to be a high-end, top-end athlete,” said Pearl Mashego, marketing and communications manager for SuperSport Schools.
Students get stuck in
“The competitive vibe is there and it feels lekker […] [my team and I] want to win and have fun,” said Wayne Ditchsfield, a second-year student whose team went on to win the three-on-three basketball tournament.
Students showing their support at Stellenbosch University’s first campus sport bumper night of the year, held at the Coetzenburg sports grounds. PHOTO: Nicholas Gleeson
“I think it just gives the opportunity for non-competitive students to actually participate in organised sport […] so you can still have a holistic experience as a student without the club commitment,” said Candice Williams, manager of the waterpolo and cricket clubs.
First-year SU student Connor McKenzie, who participated in hockey, said he is looking forward to future Campus Sport bumper nights. “[Students] can just come have fun, get to know guys better. I’ve already met seniors and I think it’s just a great way just to get closer to the guys around you,” said McKenzie.
The second bumper night will take place on 10 April.