Coach defies the odds

The Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a significant blow to most sporting codes, including rugby.

Despite this though, a coach from Parow has been able to ensure that his rugby club remains active, albeit virtually.

Christopher Diedricks, who founded the NTK Youth Academy along with the NTK Rugby Club, says during the lockdown period he sustained a broken leg, but managed to do Zoom sessions with the boys in order to keep active.

The club resumed training and was recently visited by Springbok Sevens player, Branco du Preez, who handed out new jerseys to the boys.

“We have also been invited to take part in the United World Games in Vienna, Austria, in June 2022,” says Diedricks.

Diedricks was recently appointed as junior director of rugby at Tygerberg High School and is also the head coach of the school’s u.16A team.

His rugby CV however extends far beyond the youth academy and high school’s rugby team.

“In Grade 3, I was offered a scholarship to Pelham Primary School. I was still very much into soccer, cricket, swimming and athletics at the time.

“I was invited for rugby trials by my then headmaster and first team coach, Louis Botha, who identified my skills and playing ability.”

“Coupled with his encouragement and motivation, I was selected to play Sharks Craven Week u.13 – the first non-white player. at the time for our school. That was a great honour and achievement. I then went on to represent the Sharks u.19 Sevens team who took part in the SA Games,” explains Diedricks.

Diedricks went on to represent several rugby clubs over the years.

“As a club rugby player, some of the challenges for me have been to stay fit, motivated and to remain disciplined.”

His advice to up-and-coming players is to have faith in their ability, to believe in themselves, to set themselves a goal and to do all they can to achieve it. “Stay focussed and remain disciplined and work hard on the basic fundamentals to help improve your game. Learn to deal with disappointments and failure and believe that you can achieve anything you put your mind to, if you work hard enough for it.”

He says the idea behind the NTK Youth Academy was to develop skills, create opportunities and to educate the youth with the same basic fundamentals of the game.

“My passion for coaching children and youth started when I was 17 years old. I got involved with development coaching, wanting to not only improve my knowledge as a young player, but also as a young aspiring coach. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of those youth who did not have the proper coaching and education, through rugby. “I was fortunate to have coaching role models who were passionate, dedicated and who had a vision for development and community club rugby,” Diedricks says.

Since they started in July 2019 with seven u.7 boys, the youth academy has grown to almost 100 u.19; u.11 and u-.13 boys. 

“This is an indication that the community needs this kind of quality coaching to help improve and develop skills,” says Diedricks.

He adds: “My hope is one day our juniors will represent the club at senior level and go on to earn provincial colours, as well as Springbok colours.”