Top coach helps wrestlers to shine

“I’ve had my time in the limelight. It’s not about me. It’s about the kids.”

It was pretty difficult to get Hansie Kruger, who was recently honoured as the best wrestling coach on the continent, to agree to an interview.

That was because he wants the hype to be about the up-and-coming wrestlers in Mbombela and further afield in the province and country. He also wants to see South African wrestlers on the map internationally. His plans seem well on track to achieve this goal.

At the African Wrestling Championships in Algeria, where Kruger was awarded the title of best African coach by United World Wrestling, the South African team won the overall trophy for their one gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.

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Kruger has been involved in the sport of wrestling for nearly half a century. He was introduced to the sport by a friend at the age of eight.

“I quit for a month because it was really, really difficult. After I went back, I stayed. I learned discipline and character that have helped me through life,” Kruger said.

He wants the people of Mbombela to understand wrestling and find the passion he has for the sport.

“Wrestling is like chess; you have to out-think your opponent. Just like in life, you have to be cleverer than the other guy.”

Kruger moved to the Lowveld with his family four years ago. He was disappointed to find no wrestling clubs nor training venues in the area. It took him a whole year to find a venue that would enable him to start a club.

“I went to all the schools asking them to accommodate wrestling as a sport but I just got closed doors everywhere I went,” he said.

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The army support base permitted Nelspruit Wrestling Club to train on its premises for the first two years. It has since moved to a suite at Mbombela Stadium with a membership of more than 45.

My dream for the club is that at the end of the day, if I were to stand back, the sport will carry on in this city. We have athletes with the potential to wrestle at an international level and that is a very exciting thing,” added Kruger.

Kruger said he finds much more joy in coaching than he ever did in wrestling. “We can do a lot more about development in this sport. We need large businesses and government to get involved. That’s the only way we’ll get to the Olympics one day.”

Kruger coaches, travels with teams and attends wrestling competitions for the love of the sport.

He does not get paid. He is grateful to work at a company which allows him sport leave and for his wife, Mariaan, who has been by his side at every single event he has been to.