Our Students Building their Careers:

Cheetahs Institute of Excellence student, Rowen Meyer (2020/21), has created a career for himself in the industry he loves, thanks to his tertiary studies with HFPA Fitness Academy. Rowen, who loves all things Sport and Fitness-related, completed his HFPA Fitness Instructor Course recently at the Institute, and is now currently working at Virgin Active as an instructor. Not only does Rowen get to make a living for himself, but he gets to do it by being in a career that he LOVES!

“I would like to thank the UXi Cheetahs Institute of Excellence for the experience and chance to live out my dreams. It was one of those “once in a lifetime” things, and I am so glad that I got to experience it at the Cheetahs IOE. Without the UXi CIE Coaches the experience would be hollow.

Thank you so much to HFPA, UXi and the Cheetahs IOE for setting up the study courses for us. I did the Fitness Instructor Course, and I absolutely loved it. Because of the morals and hard work that learnt at the CIE, and once completing my HFPA course, I received an offer at Virgin Active, and have already started working there as a Fitness Instructor. There is a life after rugby, and thanks to the UXi Cheetahs Institute of Excellence and HFPA, I am prepared for it!” – Rowen Meyer

Thapelo “TP” Moshodi (Cheetahs Institute of Excellence 2020/21/22) is proof that often you don’t know what obstacles life may throw at you. Just weeks after being selected into the Toyota Cheetahs U/21 squad, Thapelo broke his neck in a training match. After a very serious neck operation, miraculously Thapelo walked out of the hospital two weeks later. Unfortunately due to his injury, Thapelo was told that he would never be able to play rugby again – a devastating blow to the talented young player.

Parallel with his physical rehabilitation, Thapelo continued with theory components of the UXi High Performance programme: this included his rugby education, mental coaching and life skills classes, and his academic qualification. Thapelo focused extensively on creating a career for himself IN sport, but no longer as a player. He completed his studies through HFPA Fitness Academy with a Higher Certificate in Coaching Science – here Thapelo realised his true passion for technical coaching and analysis, specifically in rugby. Just a few weeks after completing his studies, and four months after his career-ending injury, Thapelo secured a job as the Video and Game Analyst at the UXi Griquas Rugby Institute!