Rugby Kapteins. In ons gewilde reeks oor sport kapteins, gesels Schools That Rock vandag met Marco Strydom. Marco is die kaptein van Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria se 1ste rugbyspan. Marco druk vandag die elfde drie in ons reeks vanjaar oor Rugby Kapteins van hoërskole in Suid-Afrika.
“Ek het reeds op ses-jarige ouderdom begin rugby speel. Die hoofrede hoekom ek van rugby hou is omdat dit ‘n spansport is wat meer as net ‘n samehorigheid nodig het. Dit benodig ‘n broederlike verhouding met elke spanmaat asook ‘n goeie verhouding met jou afrigter.
Met my eerste rugby wedstryd was ek kinderlik opgewonde! Wat ek van my eerste wedstryd onthou, is hoe ek probeer duik het om ‘n drie te druk. Toe val ek my wind uit soos ek op die bal neer geval het. Toe begin ek huil.
Die raad wat ek vir beginners het, is dat rugby is nie ‘n sportsoort is vir individue wat slaplê en nie ‘n sterk mentaliteit het nie. ‘n Goeie rugbyspeler moet beskik oor uithouvermoë en hardwerkendheid en jy moet ‘n spanspeler wees.
Die posisie wat ek tans speel is losskakel (10). Ek het al binnesenter(12) en heelagter(15) ook gespeel. Ek is baie gelukkig met my huidige posisie!
Eerste keer rugby kaptein
In Graad 5 was ek vir die eerste keer verkies as rugby kaptein. Toe ek die eerste keer as kaptein op die veld gedraf het, het ek ongelooflik trots en geëerd gevoel om al my maats uit te lei op die veld.
As rugby kaptein hou ek my span gemotiveerd deur te lei met die voorbeeld wat ek stel. As jou spanmaats sien dat jy as kaptein jou alles gee op die veld, gaan hulle jou nie wil teleurstel nie. Dus bly hulle ook gemotiveerd. Verder is my sleutel tot sukses om rustig en kalm te bly regdeur die wedstryd en veral in hoëdruk situasies. Dit sal help om die korrekte besluite op die veld te maak.
Wat my inspireer elke keer wanneer ek op die rugbyveld draf vir ‘n wedstryd, is die ander 150 rugby-seuns in die skool wat opkyk na my/ons as ‘n span.
My lekkerste rugby wedstryd van my loopbaan tot dusver, was ons wedstryd teen AHS in 2022. Dit was veral lekker omdat ons halftyd 6-0 voorgeloop het en dat die skool agter ons was vir die duur van die wedstryd. Die wedstryd wat ek liewer wil vergeet, is ons wedstryd teen Welkom Gimnasium by die Noord-Suid toernooi in 2023. Ek het my ACL ligament afgeskeur 20 sekondes na die begin van die wedstryd. Mens voel so magteloos om langs die kant te sit as gevolg van ‘n besering.
Positiewe rugbybesluite
Positiewe besluite wat ek as rugby kaptein geneem het, was om aan te hou glo in ons doel van 2022 en 2023. Dit is om die Menlopark rugby-program te herbou. Dit gaan tyd neem, maar iemand moet die verandering skep en die proses aan die gang sit, gee nie om wat die resultate aan die einde van die dag is nie.
Ek vra nie gereeld vir hulp wanneer ek ‘n moeilike wedstryd agter die rug het nie. Dit is die tipe mens wat ek is, maar ek sal wel ‘n ontleding gaan doen oor die wedstryd en kyk waar ek of ons as span kan verbeter.
My grootste rugbyheld is Joost van der Westhuizen.
My persoonlike rugby doelwit vanjaar is om die beste vir my span te wees van die veld af aangesien ek nie meer ‘n verskil op die veld kan maak nie.
Ek is nog nie seker of ek met rugby sal voortgaan na my skoolloopbaan nie. Ek moet nog fyn daaroor nadink.
Hoe ek my verantwoordelikhede by rugby saam met my sosiale en akademiese verantwoordelikhede hanteer? Dit is heel eenvoudig. Jy moet verantwoordelikheid vat vir jou eie tydbestuur en jou take deur die week prioritiseer. As ek weet ek is besig om te onderpresteer op ‘n gebied as gevolg van eksterne faktore, skerp ek dit op en neem verantwoordelikheid vir my aksies.
Grootste hoogtepunt
My grootste enkele hoogtepunt van my rugby loopbaan tot dusver was om in 2022 as eerstespan losskakel gekies te word terwyk ek in graad 11 was.
Ek neem wel aan ander sportsoorte ook deel. Ek doen soort van atletiek. Verder is ek nog altyd interhoër reserwe en is ook groot op Krieket. Ek is bevoorreg genoeg om ook as die kaptein van die eerste krieket span aangewys te wees hierdie jaar.
Indien moontlik, sal ek graag wil koffie drink saam met Beauden Barret, All Black rugbyspeler.
Ek sal myself beskryf as gedrewe.”
Rugby Captains
“I started playing rugby at the age of six. The main reason I love rugby is because it is a team sport that needs more than just a cohesion. It’s a fraternal relationship with each teammate as well as a good relationship with your coach.
At my first rugby match I was childishly excited! What I remember about my first game is how I tried to dive to hit a try. Then I fell on the ball and started crying.
The advice I have for beginners is that rugby is not a sport for individuals who are limp and do not have a strong mentality. A good rugby player must have stamina and hardworking and you must be a team player.
The position I’m currently playing is loose link (10). I’ve played inside centre (12) and fullback(15) as well. I am very happy with my current position!
First time rugby captain
In Grade 5 I was elected rugby captain for the first time. When I first jogged onto the field as captain, I felt incredibly proud and honoured to lead all my mates out on the field.
I keep my team motivated by leading by the example I set. If your teammates see that you as captain give your everything on the field, they’re not going to want to disappoint you. So they also stay motivated. Furthermore, my key to success is to stay calm throughout the game and especially in high-pressure situations. This will help make the correct decisions on the field.
What inspires me every time I jog on the rugby field for a game are the other 150 rugby boys in the school who look up to me/us as a team.
My most enjoyable rugby match of my rugby career so far was our match against AHS in 2022. It was especially nice because we were leading 6-0 at halftime and the school was behind us for the duration of the game. The match I’d rather forget is our match against Welkom Gymnasium at the North-South tournament in 2023. I tore off my ACL ligament 20 seconds after the start of the game. One feels so powerless to sit on the side because of an injury.
Positive rugby decisions
Positive rugby decisions I made were to continue to believe in our goal of 2022 and 2023. This is to rebuild the Menlo Park rugby programme. It’s going to take time, but someone has to create the change and set the process in motion, don’t care what the results are at the end of the day.
I don’t often ask for help when I have a tough game behind me. That’s the type of person I am, but I’ll go and do an analysis on the game and see where I or we can improve as a team.
My biggest rugby hero is Joost van der Westhuizen.
My personal rugby goal this year is to be the best for my team off the field as I can no longer make a difference on the field.
I’m still not sure if I’ll continue with rugby after my school career. I still need to think about it carefully.
How do I handle my responsibilities at rugby alongside my social and academic responsibilities? It’s quite simple. You must take responsibility for your own time management and prioritise your tasks throughout the week. When I know I am underperforming in an area due to external factors, I sharpen it and take responsibility for my actions.
Biggest highlight
My biggest single highlight of my rugby career so far has been being selected as a first-team flyhalf in 2022 while I was in Grade 11.
I do participate in other sports as well. I kind of do athletics. I’m still inter-high reserve and I’m big on Cricket as well. I am privileged enough to also be named captain of the first cricket team this year.
I would love to have coffee with Beauden Barret, All Black rugby player.
Should I have to describe myself, I’d say driven.”
Meer skolenuus: https://schoolsthatrock.co.za
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