With a national lockdown in place from Friday 27 March until 16 April, a number of Potchefstroom’s athletes need do use alternative methods of keeping fit and ready amidst the current uncertain situation. Potchefstroom’s normally bustling sporting fields will now be empty for at least the coming months with various tournaments either being postponed or completely cancelled. These regulations has seen the North West Universities’ top sport stars using alternative methods of training in isolation. According to NWU Varsity Cup head coach, André Pretorius, his players are currently back home with their families and sticking to the pre-planned training schedules. “They currently have heart rate monitors at home with specific programmes that they can follow. Our conditioning coach, Bert Moolman, made provision for this before the university closed last week,” explained Pretorius. “We just aren’t sure how long our players will need to train under these circumstances under lockdown. It is quite uncertain if we will still play matches this season or complete the Varsity Cup schedule. The guys are practicing, and sessions are logged and monitored, so it is nice to see the commitment despite the uncertainty,” added Pretorius. According to NWU hockey manager and women’s hockey coach, Shaun Hulley, preparation has been quite difficult in trying times. Still, players have been told to practice and keep fit if the season gets back into full swing.
“We are sending programmes to the players as we are working together with the ISSD (Institute For Sport Science and Development) to ensure this.
They are busy setting up programmes that players can do at home. We are still waiting from government to hear if players can do long runs in public at this stage.” “We are also looking to do more body weight programmes that they can do at home. It will be tough to practice tactical and technical skills as players can’t train at an outside facility. At this stage we do not need to prepare for major events, with the provincial events currently being put off. At this stage our next major tournaments are in July, but we are also not sure if that will take place at this moment,” added Hulley.
