Central Karoo Holds Historic Generic Testing Of Potential Athletes

The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), in partnership with the Central Karoo Sports Council, the municipality and Central Karoo District Academy of Sport (DAS), concluded their historical testing for three codes of sport this past Saturday, 7 November 2015. The testing was held for the 2015/16 intake at the Rustdene Stadium in Beaufort West.

Athletes from as far as Murraysburg were transported to and from the event which took place at the stadium in Beaufort West. Thirty netball, twelve tennis and twenty-seven rugby athletes were taken through generic testing hosted by ETA (George Campus) and led by Henrico Louw and Pieter Breytenbach. The athletes were very enthusiastic and committed up to the end of the programme, where SAAID representative Hendrik De Villiers presented an anti-doping talk to the athletes.

The testing of athletes forms part of the talent identification (TID) process that takes place on a quarterly basis or as requested by the various codes. SASCOC President Gideon Sam proposed that all the South African schools be brought into the process of assisting with the development of talent. “Through a talent identification programme, supported by a bursary scheme, we should be in a position to place all talented athletes who otherwise could have been lost to our development system. The academies in the districts will work hand in hand with the schools as well as with the clubs to nurture the talent of athletes leaving school. Our provincial academies of sport will continue to play a coordinating role in their respective provinces, supported by a coordinating academy team at national level. It is at provincial level where we see all the hard work taking place. This is to ensure clear development paths for our athletes from the day they enter the system,” he said. 

The purpose of the testing is to focus not only on their fitness, but also their sport specific skills in relation to their sport code. The skill testing will be scientifically based and thereafter scrutinised according to certain norms. The selected athletes will have their profiles updated on a database so that they can be monitored and progress can be measured on a personal level.

The District Academy offers an array of services that will support the athletes throughout the year, such as transport to training sessions, coaching, medical assessments, scientific support, life-skills and career counselling, among others.

Once all testing is done, the Central Karoo District Academy of Sport expects to have its first intake of athletes during January 2016, and athletes are finally selected by their respective codes’ high performance head coaches and approved by the federation’s executive.

Athletics, football, hockey and softball will be tested at the same venue from 08:00 to 17:00 on Saturday 28 November 2015.