{"id":192422,"date":"2018-11-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/192422\/local-coach-talks-about-fight-against-cancer\/"},"modified":"2018-11-28T15:48:08","modified_gmt":"2018-11-28T13:48:08","slug":"local-coach-talks-about-fight-against-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2018\/11\/28\/local-coach-talks-about-fight-against-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Ready, get set, beat cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cCancer can affect anyone, it doesn\u2019t matter how fit or clean-living you are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These are the words of well-known Germiston athletics coach Stephan\u00e9 Kotz\u00e9.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>He has been a coach at Germiston Callies Harriers for 38 years.<\/p>\n<p>During the past year, Stephan\u00e9 took on the fight against colon cancer and won.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI was diagnosed on September 14, last year, with colon cancer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was an extremely emotional day for me and I felt as if death was approaching.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 had visited the doctor as his stomach had been feeling a bit different.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had a scope and they found a tumour on my colon which was cancerous.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI then went to Prof Lutrin at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre and had to undergo five weeks of tests,\u201d Stephan\u00e9 said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn October 18, last year, I underwent a six-hour operation to remove the tumour.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile they were doing the operation they also found a tumour on one of my lymph nodes and removed it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"7018117239 - Melissa Hart Germiston Athletics Coach Stephan\u00e9 Kotz\u00e9 by Germiston City News\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F536185989&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 was then told he would need eight chemotherapy sessions, the first of which started on November 30.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEach session took three hours, and after the first one, I thought well this is not so bad, I don\u2019t feel so terrible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut it got worse following every chemo session,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9, however, did not allow the fact that he had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy get him down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI continued with my life as normal, which included coaching all my athletes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He specialises in training athletes for the 100m, 200m, 400m, hurdles and long jump.<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 has lived in Parkhill Gardens with his wife of 38 years, Roelien, for over 20 years.<\/p>\n<p>He was born in Steynsburg in the Eastern Cape and attended primary school there.<\/p>\n<p>The family then moved to Cradock and he went to Cradock Boys\u2019 High School.<\/p>\n<p>He moved once again and attended Ho\u00ebr Volkskool in Potchefstroom for his matric year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was always an outstanding athlete, from primary school days.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never lost a race (100m and 200m) or long jump event throughout my school career,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt one stage in high school my coach asked me to try triple jump and I broke the SA record.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He was also an excellent rugby player and played for the first team in matric.<\/p>\n<p>Once Stephan\u00e9 completed his schooling, he studied at Potchefstroom University and Potchefstroom Teachers College and became a history teacher.<\/p>\n<p>Over the years he built himself up to the position of HOD and was one of five teachers in the old Transvaal Education Department to receive a medal for outstanding achievement in teaching.<\/p>\n<p>While he was studying and working he represented SA as a South African champion athlete.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI unfortunately never got to participate overseas due to the political climate, but now as a coach, I deliver athletes in all divisions in the world,\u201d Stephan\u00e9 said.<\/p>\n<p>After his official retirement from teaching in 1997, Stephan\u00e9 was still involved with a number of schools on their governing bodies and coached athletes at Ho\u00ebrskool Dr EG Jansen, Laerskool Delville, Laerskool Elsburg and Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif.<\/p>\n<p>He has been with Ho\u00ebrskol Goudrif for the last six-and-a-half years, training their athletes and leading them triumphantly to their 13th inter-high athletics win earlier in the year.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/162381\/coaching-is-my-passion\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u2018Coaching is my passion\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/176807\/aaron-jumps-to-the-top\/\" target=\"_blank\">Aaron jumps to the top<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am grateful to Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif for supporting me during my fight against cancer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 has coached 65 South African champion athletes and 33 Protea and Springbok athletes at Germiston Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe I must just do it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGod gave me the talent as an athlete to become an SA champion and now I give back by coaching for the love of the sport and to help children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI coach the basics and do things in the old \u2018boere manier\u2019, and I am lucky enough to get results out of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am happy for what I have achieved in my coaching career.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After Stephan\u00e9\u2019s cancer diagnosis and operation, he only took three weeks off before he started coaching again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t leave my athletes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLuckily one of my former athletes, Leizel Claasen, assisted while I was off,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He recalled how he went for his fourth chemo session on February 6 and on February 8 was at inter-high, coaching the Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif athletes to victory.<\/p>\n<p>He underwent his final chemotherapy session on May 3.<\/p>\n<p>He had a CT scan on June 5 and was given the all clear and two weeks ago he had a sonar which confirmed that he was cancer free.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am still recovering and I do suffer from some problems with my feet due to the chemotherapy, sometimes you will see me coaching in my socks,\u201d joked Stephan\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I am receiving treatment for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 told the GCN he was adamant that cancer would not get him down and he wants people to know that they can fight against the disease and win.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy wife has been my biggest support throughout,\u201d Stephan\u00e9 said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I was feeling a bit negative she would build me up with positivity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started the chemo, I would say to myself, \u2018This is just the first jump in the SA champs, you will make it through\u2019, and it worked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stephan\u00e9 said the biggest thing a person with a cancer diagnosis should do is remain positive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou mustn\u2019t lay down, you must fight it, and you can win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GCNnews\">Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCblgxW6BRXTLGLQvpcumLqA\">YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Or add the GCN on<span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><strong>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<strong>BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za\/\">Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/albertonrecord.co.za\/\">Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/kemptonexpress.co.za\/\">Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='1f924d52468ad5a9ae64274eb75a4a25'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stephan\u00e9 Kotz\u00e9 shares his cancer journey with the GCN.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1848,"featured_media":192423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Melissa Hart","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[1126,23373,2037,23374,979,969,2734,1415,8669],"class_list":["post-192422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-athletics","tag-athletics-coach","tag-cancer","tag-colon-cancer","tag-germiston","tag-germiston-city-news","tag-melissa-hart","tag-parkhill-gardens","tag-stephane-kotze"],"amp_enabled":true,"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["athletics","athletics coach","Cancer","colon cancer","germiston","germiston city news","melissa hart","parkhill gardens","Stephan\u00e9 Kotz\u00e9"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1848"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}