Confucius once said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” This has been proven true by HTS Middelburg’s astounding ascent over the past two years, with the proverbial sleeping giant having awoken and reclaimed their rightful place as one of the 30 best rugby sides in South Africa.
View the rankings here: SA School Sports’ First XV School Rugby Ranking
To put this remarkable rise in context, according to the HTS Middelburg Rugby Facebook Page, the school was ranked 175th by the midpoint of 2023.
Today, those struggles seem like a distant memory.
Through the tireless efforts of the school’s staff, the reinvigoration and renewed spirit of the players, and the unwavering support from fans both new and old, HTS Middelburg have recemented themselves as the rugby powerhouse that opposition fear.
No individual person can be credited as having changed the trajectory of the school by themselves. However, it would be foolish not to give special mention to one man for his part in this reversal of fortune, the late, great Mr Hoppie van Jaarsveldt.
As principal, his role at the helm proved vital in steering the ship away from rough waters back onto the right course.
Now, under the stewardship of his newly introduced successor, Mr Malem van Heerden, the foundation is set for HTS Middelburg to reach greater heights than ever before.
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