Allen Glen High School rugby coach on trajectory to the top
Bradley Theunissen selected as U/16 Lions Central West backline coach.
Milestones mark the gradual progress up the ladder of leadership.
Allen Glen High School old boy and first team coach, Bradley Theunissen is building a reputation in the rugby dugout. For the second time this year, Brad will pull on his provincial colours as he joins the coaching staff of a Golden Lions junior team. Having coached the U/16 Presidents XV for an Easter weekend festival at Jeppe High School, Brad will be the back line coach for the Central West U/16s when they take part in the Prestige Youth Sport Rhino week at the end of June.
The President’s XV is a team selected from the less-prestigious schools that do not get regular invitations to the Easter festivals. It is a development team that gives outstanding players from these schools a chance to mix it with their more resourced counterparts. With Brad part of the sideline leadership, they recorded impressive wins over Parktown Boys and St Benedict’s College, but lost to King David High School.
The U/16 Central West team whose backs will be under Brad’s command, is made up of schools across the West Rand, including Hoërskool Bastion and Hoërskool Florida. The Rhino Week is a multi-sport interprovincial tournament hosted in Vereeniging over three weekends from the end of June until mid-July. “It is the first year we have all the schools around the area to make up quite a few sides, and it will be great for the kids from a developmental viewpoint,” said Brad.
The positive trajectory of the budding rugby guru comes from a love of seeing other players thrive. “Long term my goal is to keep developing as a coach, keep giving back to the players, and helping the players get somewhere,” said Brad, hinting at a desire to coach at a marquee school or even take charge of a Carven Week team in the future.
In addition to holding a IRB level 1 qualification, Brad also is a qualified referee holding a level 1 officiating qualification. Describing the current season with Allen Glen as positive, he noted a stunt in development due to the global health scare but was pleased some consistency was returning. Not allowing himself to be distracted with outside projects, Brad insisted his immediate responsibilities remained maximising the potential of the Blue Machine.
