Passion drives local coaches
Mother and daughter, Magriet Berowsky and Lindi Du Plessis, help to shape future athletes from across Ekurhuleni.
Germiston Stadium is not only a landmark for Germiston residents but also offers the ideal venue for a number of sporting events, with many sports clubs calling it home.
Athletes often fill the stadium’s track and field to compete in local, national and even international competitions.
The stadium also offers the perfect place for mother and daughter, Magriet Berowsky and Lindi Du Plessis to train their athletes.
“We are a package deal,” said Du Plessis when the GCN spoke to her at the stadium on Thursday.
The pair coach athletes from across Ekurhuleni, including a number of Germiston Callies Harriers athletes.
Both former athletes themselves, Berowsky has been training athletes for 30 years while Du Plessis has been coaching for 10 years.
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“My mom’s focus is on sprints and long jump while I focus on sprints and hurdles, so you could say we complement each other,” said Du Plessis.
When asked what she loves about coaching Du Plessis said, “I am passionate about athletics and coaching.
“My husband Cornè and I are both athletes. He actually competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“Together we plan to open an athletics academy called the East Rand Athletics Academy.”
She admits that she enjoys coaching more than competing.
“I feel more in control in my current role,” she said.
Berowsky agreed with her daughter, “I was an athlete myself and this is my passion and I love the children,” she said.
Some of the key areas of the pair’s training are injury prevention and ensuring that athletes get age-appropriate training.
Berowsky and Du Plessis accompanied a number of their athletes to the Central Gauteng Athletics Inter-Provincial Sub-Youth Championships, which were held in Potchefstroom, last Saturday.
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Their results were:
• Lythe Pillay competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-15 200m and 400m sprints where he placed first in both events, breaking two South African records.
• Juandré Bekker competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-13 long jump, where he made the finals.
• Tobi Mosweu competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-11 70m hurdles where she placed fifth and in the 80m hurdles where she placed sixth.
• Danielle Geldenhuys competed for Mpumalanga Athletics in the girls’ u-11 70m hurdles, where she made the finals.
• Brandon Redgard competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-11 70m hurdles, where he made the finals.
• Enrique Bosch competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-9 60m and 80m sprints he won a silver medal in both events.
• Lande Marais competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-15 300m hurdles, where she placed seventh.
• Marlie Schoeman competed for Vaal Triangle Athletics in the girls’ u-15 300m hurdles, where she placed fourth.
• Ninke Otto competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-15 300m hurdles, where she placed seventh.
• Leendert Koekemoer competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-11 80m sprint, where he placed sixth and the u-11 100m sprints, where he placed fifth.
• Zander Benade competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the boys’ u-11 long jump.
• Ané Bornman competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-11 long jump, where she placed second.
• Lanzelle van Antwerpen competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-13 long jump, where she won a bronze.
• Andrea Laubscher competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-13 long jump, where she placed fifth.
• Sinead Meyer competed for Central Gauteng Athletics in the girls’ u-15 100m sprints, where she placed 10th overall.
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