{"id":162381,"date":"2017-09-25T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T04:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/162381\/coaching-is-my-passion\/"},"modified":"2017-09-25T19:37:12","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T17:37:12","slug":"coaching-is-my-passion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/sports-news\/2017\/09\/25\/coaching-is-my-passion\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Coaching is my passion\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Behind most top achieving athletes there is usually a great coach and for Germiston athletes that coach is Stephan\u00e8 Kotz\u00e8.<\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e8 has 37 years of coaching experience behind his name.<\/p>

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\u201cIn my years of coaching I have trained 33 athletes who have gone on to become South African Protea athletes and I have also coached 66 South African champions,\u201d said Kotz\u00e8.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been fortunate to coach athletes who have discipline, determination and a love for athletics.\u201d<\/p>

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Kotz\u00e8 said his love for athletics dates back to his childhood years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have always loved athletics and was an award-winning athlete myself,\u201d said Kotz\u00e8<\/p>\n

\u201cI was an athlete for 25 years – I started at the age of six and retired when I was 31.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong jump, 100m and 200m sprints were the track and field events I took part in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Parkhill Gardens resident was born in Steynsburg, in the Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e8 said one of his biggest moments as an athlete was when he was selected for the South African Junior Team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in matric at Ho\u00ebr Volkskool Potchefstroom when I was selected to represent South Africa in Zimbabwe,\u201d said Kotz\u00e8.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did very well at the competition and won the long jump event when I jumped 7.51m.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e8 studied teaching and taught history for many years while coaching.<\/p>\n

The local coach was also a rugby coach and bagged a number of league and provincial tournaments.<\/p>\n

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ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n

Talent takes to the track and field<\/a><\/p>\n

Podium position in Algeria<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e8 started coaching with Germiston Callies Harriers at the Germiston Stadium in 1980 when he moved to Germiston.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, I have collected several awards from Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) as a coach,\u201dsaid Kotz\u00e8.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have coached athletes who have competed and won at major athletics meetings which include the World Youth Athletics Championships, World Seniors Athletics Championships, Olympic Youth Championships and the Commonwealth Games Senior Championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cI coach for the love of it and do it for the athletes more than for myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it when athletes prosper; it is amazing to see them being rewarded for doing what they love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of Kotz\u00e8\u2019s athletes and the number of medals received under his guidance, include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Seniors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adri De Jongh \u2013 10 gold medals for 200m and 400m sprints.<\/p>\n

John Lawson – Eight silver and bronze medals in 200m and 400m sprints.<\/p>\n

Marliese Steyn – Six gold medals for 100m and 200m sprints.<\/p>\n

Surita Febbraio – 10 gold medals for the 100m and 400m hurdles.<\/p>\n

Samuel van Aswegen – Three gold medals for the 200m and 400m sprints.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Juniors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alyssa Conley and Patrick Vosloo \u2013 11 gold medals each for 100m and 200m sprints.<\/p>\n

Leizel Bell – Four gold medals for 100m sprint and long jump.<\/p>\n

Kayla Gilbert \u2013 Seven gold medals for long jump and hurdles.<\/p>\n

Pedro Aaron – Two gold medals for long jump.<\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e8 is the athletics head coach at Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif and has been with the school for five years.<\/p>\n

He said he doesn\u2019t have special secrets for excelling in athletics but maintains athletes should be dedicated.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to love the sport. Never give up and you will get to the top,\u201d said Kotze.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust make sure you train enough, work on your strength and speed and always remember to stretch.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep repeating what you do over and over again and you will be fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate substances like steroids and get disappointed when my athletes test positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank all my athletes over the years for making my coaching experience a pleasant one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have travelled as an athlete and coach and was able to do what I love because of the support I get from my wife Roeliel. I appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n