“Loadshedding will start in 5 minutes” – we all know this infamous notification far too well (some apps have now even added in an inspirational quote with the reminder to soften the blow). This is the notification that makes each one of us jump off our seats to frantically run and put the kettle on, turn our laptops to “power saving mode”, and quickly try to get an extra few minutes of charge on our phones. Then, as the clock hits the hour, darkness hits. Then we sit, turn on our emergency lights, and wonder what to do for the next two and half hours of darkness.

As the world rang in 2023 two months ago, no one can deny that their hopes for “the best year ever” were high. Whilst the hopes for the “best” year may still be on the cards, it will most certainly not be the “brightest” – well at least not in South Africa for a long time. Nevertheless, in a country plunged into darkness, the UXi Rugby Institutes welcomed 240 aspirant young men to their 5 Institutes nation-wide. Thankfully the “light” in their eyes hadn’t been taken away from them; rather their eyes shone with the hope and excitement to be able to pursue a rugby opportunity, and this lit up every Orientation Ceremony!

The UXi Sport Rugby Institutes have been described as a “beacon of light and hope” for young sporting enthusiasts, who dream of pursuing a semi-professional or professional career, while also securing an academic qualification for a life after competing. What once started as a small Rugby Academy in the Western Cape has now expanded into a large-scale national sporting development platform!

Based on national research and sports science, this one-of-a-kind development programme offers young aspirant athletes a professional and sustainable pathway into semi-professional and professional rugby. This three-year structured programme incorporates key components, which ensures development in every area of high-performance sport. Our on-field rugby skills training and strength and conditioning programme provides every athlete with an individualized and position-specific rugby development plan, tailored to their athlete needs and goals. Combined with our rugby education class, each athlete is equipped with the knowledge to be a tactically informed rugby player, and a STUDENT OF THE GAME. Through the use of data science, analysis and technical assistance, we are able to monitor and evaluate every aspect of the athlete’s daily activities in the programme, to ensure that the athlete’s development plan is on-track! The programme is further combined with mental and life skills coaching and academic studies of an educational programme, which provides our athletes with peak mental and emotional development, as well as ensures them with employability during and after rugby. It really is a programme that DOES IT ALL!

Over the past two weeks, we have witnessed a number of our past UXi Rugby Institutes alumni SHINING on a national-level stage: the renowned Varsity Shield Competition! Xola Skhathele (WPRA 2021), James Coetzee (WPRA 2021), Kieran Naidoo (WPRA 2021/22) and Wiehan Kruger (WPRA 2021/22) all made their Varsity Shield debuts this past week as the 2023 Varsity Rugby season kicked off, donning the colours of Wits, UWC and CPUT. These past students are proving to be SHINING LIGHTS in the competition and have already contributed to their teams. Wiehan Kruger was named as the “FNB Player That Rocks” for his CPUT debut match against the University of KwaZulu-Natal; James Coetzee, who represented the Pumas Senior B Team last year, is now part of the infamous UWC “bomb squad”.

Our international Dutch shining star, David Weersma (WPRA 2015/16), who has been playing internationally for the past seven years, was recently nominated as “Player of the Pool stages” for the Rugby Europe Men’s XV Championship for his contribution to the Dutch National team. He is nominated alongside big names such Chris Raymond and Piotr Zeszutek. Hanru Smith (WPRA 20/21/22) and Dylan van der Merwe (WPRA 2021) have both gone on to secure international jobs, as rugby coaches, in Germany (this means they’ve also luckily escaped loadshedding). Both Hanru and Dylan have benefitted from our international cooperation and partnership with a rugby club in Bonn, in which we provide opportunities for our students that fully embody the pillars and values of UXi Sport! Delarey Swart (PRI 2022) is also another UXi Rugby Institute alumni that has found light in an international opportunity; Delarey is also heading off to pursue a European rugby career, where he will be playing for TSV Victoria Linden e.V. Rugby Club in Hanover, Germany.

Loadshedding has once again reminded us of the importance of ADAPTATION, and that sometimes you need to adjust your plans based on the darkness that life can throw at you. Life can get dark sometimes; it is your choice whether you will sit in the darkness or find a way to SHINE through it. It is important to remember that these players did not get their great moments from schoolboy rugby, when so many other players got awarded bursaries and contracts. These young men never lost their spark or gave up on their dreams; they simply had to ADAPT their pathway and SHINE through the dark times in order to achieve their dreams. Remember, that sometimes the brightest ideas are born from darkness.

What do these young men, and so many more in our system, have in common? They all sat in a time of darkness at some point in their rugby careers; yet they still had that spark to make their dreams come true. It was this spark that ignited many young men to pursue their own personal greatness. By furthering their sporting development at the UXi Rugby Institutes they, and many more young athletes who are in and have come through the system, have been provided with the tools and opportunities to LEVEL UP in sport and in life.

Our passion lies in creating successful people IN and OUT of sport; and because of this the UXi Sport Rugby Institute development platform continues to do what it was intended to: DEVELOP, IMPROVE, ENLIGHTEN, IGNITE HOPE and ELEVATE athletes to the next level in their sporting careers. Our message to all young aspirant sports athletes: even though the future may seem dark, don’t be afraid. When times are dark, it’s time to shine. It takes just ONE SPARK to pierce a universe of darkness; never give up!

How can UXi Rugby Institutes help you find your way from darkness to international opportunities?

Our Rugby Development programme study options includes the American GED, as well as various Sports education programmes, which can be validated through the international association for the evaluation of qualifications in the USA. This institution is responsible for the evaluation of educational achievement in the USA specifically, with the purpose to benchmark them against education standards in the USA.

From 2024, the UXi International Rugby Institutes will be offering International Bridging programmes that can be followed with the purpose to prepare players for international pathways; this includes various language programmes as well international travel preparation and opportunities to study international accredited programmes in artisan trades, sport and information technology.

CONTACT US for more information: [email protected].