At 34, Heyneke Meyer was fired as head coach of a Super Rugby team for the second time. But when, in 2007, his Bulls side became the first South African team to win the Super title, the dark years at Loftus Versfeld were suddenly forgotten. Coaches, like players, are judged on the playing field, but the scoreboard never tells the full story of how they achieved success. In Meyers case it was an arduous journey, during which he redefined professional rugby through his leadership style. And leadership is what Coach is about people who have fundamentally changed a sport, an industry, a way of thinking and peoples lives. Marco Botha sat in conversation with some of South Africas foremost sports leaders and interprets their diverse success stories. Brendan Venter helped turn Saracens into a top club and the Sharks into the 2013 Currie Cup champions. As an international hockey player, Sherylle Calder noticed something special about her own visual abilities and researched this together with Professor Tim Noakes. The Eye Lady was instrumental in England and South Africas victories in the Rugby World Cup, and Ernie Els bagging his second British Open golf title in 2012. Former Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu advanced rugby sevens as a world sport by regularly getting his team to tower above seemingly superior sides. Gary Kirsten and Paddy Upton guided the Indian national cricket team to glory with a leadership style that empowered players and developed them as human beings the new school of coaching. With the same approach they helped the Proteas become the world-number-one cricket team in all three formats of the game. These remarkable leaders have made champions out of ordinary people. The reasons for their success stories will surprise you ...
Les mer
One can quite rightly object to a lack of proper leadership at government level in South Africa. However, just as one's faith in and hope for the country are waning, something exceptional happens in our local sports environment. The Springbok rugby team has twice been crowned world champion.
Les mer

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781868423767
Publisert
2014-05-01
Utgiver
Vendor
Jonathan Ball Publishers SA
Aldersnivå
G, G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
340

Forfatter

Biographical note

Marco Botha is a reporter at Die Burger. He was previously the senior national rugby writer in Pretoria for Rapport, Beeld, Die Burger and Volksblad, touring with and reporting on the Springboks, the Bulls and the Blitzbokke. He has a great appreciation for interesting leaders and good wine.