Kearsney SportZone

Kearsney SportZone
24 Hours of Non-Stop Sport

Twenty-four hours of non-stop sport, which will include participating sports stars and an attempt to break a Guiness world record, will form part of an exciting official opening of a new indoor sports facility at Kearsney College, KwaZulu-Natal tomorrow at noon (18 February).

The development of the SportZone ties in with the College’s approach to wellness and high performance programmes which promote a healthy lifestyle. Headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg said Kearsney does not believe in a ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach.
“We believe in the importance of focussing on a healthy diet, a fit body and a positive mental approach. To get the best out of boys, and for them to get the best out of life, a holistic approach needs to be taken.”

Celebrity sports people, Kearsney Old Boys who have played for national and provincial teams, and current pupils and staff will participate in activities ranging from a challenge of the Guiness record on a static cycle, to indoor versions of the Duzi, Comrades Marathon and Amashova, and a ‘Midmar Mile’ in the outside pools.

A number of sports matches – from basketball, indoor hockey, soccer and cricket to canoe polo and waterpolo - will be played non-stop for 24 hours.

The world-class indoor SportZone is equipped with seven indoor cricket nets, two basketball courts, an indoor hockey field, two swimming pools and a high performance weights gymnasium.

The exciting and fun celebration of youth, fitness and health will begin at noon tomorrow, ending at noon the following day, Thursday 19th.

Internationally respected sports medicine authority Professor Tim Noakes will officially open the facility.

Some of the sports people who have been invited to take part in the 24 hour programme are:
Shaun Pollock, Jonty Rhodes, Andrew Hudson and Andrew Tweedie (cricket);
Wayne Fyvie, Gary Teichmann, John Smit, John Plumtree, ‘The Beast’ and Jake White (rugby);
The Madsen brothers and Jonty Rhodes (hockey);
Lucas Radebe and Gary Bailey (soccer);
Burry Stander (old school friend of JC and Jules) and Amy Mundy (cycling);
Helen Lucre, Willie Mtolo and Grace D’Oliviera (running);
Ant Stott, Martin Dreyer, Graeme Pope-Ellis and Michael Mbanjwa (paddling); and
Melissa Corfe, Troy Prinsloo and Graham Hill (swimming).

Headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg tries out the equipment in the gym.

WORRY IS OPTIONAL - OR IS IT??

Worry is optional - or is it?
Worry is today's mice nibbling on tomorrow's cheese. — Unknown.

WORRY = The act of worrying or the condition of being worried; persistent mental uneasiness. A source of nagging concern or uneasiness.

Is there a magic cut-off period when offspring become accountable for their own actions?

Is there a wonderful moment when Parents can become detached spectators in the lives of their children and shrug, 'It's their life,'
and feel nothing?

I don’t think so...

When I was in my late twenties , I stood in a hospital room in Pretoria watching doctors put a drip in Ziska, my two year old daughter's head.
I asked, 'When do you stop worrying?' The nurse said, 'When they get out of the accident stage.'
My mom just smiled faintly and said nothing...

When I was in my late thirties, I stood in a hospital room in Durban watching a doctor on call put stitches in JC’s mouth after a tough rugby game.
I asked my mom? “When will I stop worrying?”
She just smiled faintly and said nothing...

When I was in my early forties , I stood in a hospital emergency room watching a certain Dr. Horsely (yes his name fits him perfectly)
put stitches in Jules, my late-born (laatlammetjie) son’s leg; I felt so alone and sick with worry. He was so small!
JC then 7 years old, took control when they chased him out of the room, saying: “I’m going nowhere, I’m staying with my brother” with so much conviction that nobody dared say anything again..
My mom just smiled faintly and said nothing...

When I was in my late forties , I spent a lifetime waiting for an e-mail, SMS, the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open.
A friend said, they're trying to find themselves. Don't worry, in a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be Adults.'
My mom just smiled faintly and said nothing...

By the time I was in my fifties, I was once again in St Augustine’s hospital in Durban watching JC recovering from a dual-pacemaker implant procedure and a year later Ziska with a laparoscopy...

I am so sick and tired of being vulnerable...

I am still worrying over my children, but there is a new wrinkle...
There is nothing I can do about it. I still anguish over their failures, I am still tormented by their frustrations and I am still absorbed in their disappointments in their daily lives.
My mom’s not here anymore but I can still see her smiling...

My friends said that when my kids get married one day I’ll stop worrying and I’ll lead my own Life.
I really want to believe that, but I am haunted by my mom’s warm smile and her occasional,
'You look pale. Are you all right? Are you depressed about something? You don’t sound good!
Call me the minute you get home...’

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry?
Is concern for one another handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of human frailties and the fears of the unknown?
Is concern a curse or is it a virtue that elevates us to the highest form of life?

One of my children became quite irritable recently, saying to me, 'Where were you? I've been calling for 3 days, and no one answered I was worried sick.'
I smiled a warm smile.
The torch has been passed...

May you rest in peace mom... I miss your smile so much...
"What's the use of worrying? It never was worthwhile, so pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag, and smile, smile, smile."

There is nothing to worry about; there is no need to be concerned:

"Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime, and too sleepy to worry at night." Leo Aikman

"The freedom now desired by many is not freedom to do and dare but freedom from care and worry." Jams Truslow Adams

“It is worry that kills, they say, and not work… The canker of care seems to eat the life away.” [1909 British Weekly 8 July 333]

“But not to worry: it all…falls into place in the book's second half, where the language is plainer” (Hallowell Bowser).

Children

Back to normal again, I hope…

I suffered this week! My Porphyria was ‘acting’ up again and it took nearly 3 days for me to recover…
The last couple of weeks with Ziska and Jules’ busy routine took its toll…

Jules had a rugby as well as basketball camp all cramped into one week; he was dead on his feet, but enjoyed it very much.
He went back to boarding school on Monday the 19th - the same day Ziska had the laparoscopy. Her one ovary was attached to her colon which was causing her severe abdominal pain. She suffered afterwards, with her pain level being very LOW…
I took her for her follow-up routine visit a week later and the Dr. declared her fit and ok.

She had to stop all the medications from all the doctors (15 different medications) which I found absolutely ridiculous.
He told her to stay away from doctors for awhile because they were poisoning her.

According to them she was a diabetic (Glucophage) with thyroid problems (Eltroxin); bad reflux problems (Nexiam); asthma (Singulair,Seretide,Venteze, Flixonase); Bipolar disorder & Obsessive compulsive disorder (Seroquel, Epilim, Lantanon, Aterax); Depression; Sleeping apnea (Dormicum); Constipation due to the use of all of the above (Movicol) and for each and every diagnosis according to them she was given a prescription; absolutely absurd!
She was on 4 cortisones/antihistamines and picked up 20kg in 8 months!! And then she is on the pill as well (Yasmin)

Her blood tests came back ‘NORMAL’ !!

The Dr told her to keep taking the Eltroxin for another year as her Thyroid results showed some kind of inflammation..
The only tablet he kept her on, instead of 14 others!!

Hopefully she will recover fully now and stabilize…
We battled the last couple of days, because she was used to all these medications and she had some bad reactions like itching all over her body and hot flashes with severe perspiration…

I am positive that she can handle it, by going to a gym again on a daily basis and being active instead of being on chronic medication at the age of 29!!

She flew back to Johannesburg on Saturday morning.
Her boyfriend was very ‘chuffed’ with her home-coming…

I pray to God that this year will be a good and healthy year for her…