The dream of a sports academy comes true

POLOKWANE – A new era for sport dawned for the city when the first steps to establish a Limpopo academy of sport were taken at Capricorn High School on Monday.

Capricorn will be the centre of the province’s sports development after an agreement was signed between the Limpopo Sports Academy and Capricorn High School to house the academy’s facilities at the school.

The academy will cater for all sporting codes and the facilities at the school will be used to develop the skills of local and provincial teams.

The agreement, stating in essence that both parties will ensure mutual assistance and cooperation in using the school’s facilities as a provincial academy of sport, was signed by Eric Moneri, the acting president of the Limpopo Sports Federation and Jacob Tshiwilowilo, chairperson of Capricorn High School’s school governing body.

The agreement also states that the school’s facilities will be upgraded and maintained as necessary.

Leon du Plessis, the estate manager of Capricorn High School, highlighted the school’s current facilities, which include, among others, a basketball court, volleyball court, rugby fields, soccer fields, netball courts, tennis courts, a gymnasium and hostel facilities for accommodation.

Du Plessis said there were plans to add an astro hockey turf to the school’s sporting facilities.

“I believe this is a valuable initiative that will avail resources to people and focus on the professional sports player. The impact of what we are doing today will be felt by the whole province and our local schools, and is indeed something to be proud of,” said Tshiwilowilo.

Lucas Chuene, principal of Capricorn High School, said the establishment of the Limpopo Sports Academy was a positive thing and added that this would give the u/19 and u/21 sporting teams of the province somewhere to train.