Plan now for future success

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Published on Wednesday, 12 October 2011 14:32

Written by Sajjad Karamsi

This year has been filled with rugby glory for UCT. We won the Varsity Cup, deservedly, after being losing finalists twice. We won the Western Province Super League after 37 years, winning 13 consecutive games. Former Ikey JJ Gagiano featured at the Rugby World Cup, scoring a try for the US Eagles. Yes, this was a glorious year for rugby, but we tend to forget the achievements accomplished in other sports.

Fencing, in particular, is a hidden pocket of excellence. UCT boasts some of the best fencers in Africa, with Jacques Viljoen, Giselle Vicatos, Michael Malahe and Skye Pym-Siljeur among the top-ranked fencers in South Africa.

The Yachting Club remains the only South African university team that participates in the prestigious Lipton Cup.

The Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams are consistent contenders for the Western Province League Championships.

Even Ultimate (Frisbee) is doing well.

Why don’t most UCT students know about these achievements?

Rugby, rugby, rugby.

That’s all we hear about. But why wouldn’t we? It has the highest turnout for games, fancy jerseys that we can buy at the Juta/Atlas/Brainbooks UCT Bookstore, and TV coverage on SuperSport.  UCT Rugby has various age-group teams and a well-structured internal league.

They also have money. Lots of it. There are sponsors racing to get their logos everywhere, alumni don’t mind donating a million dollars for a stadium and an administration that loves milking the publicity.

Rugby’s popularity owes as much to its marketing campaigns as it does to success on the fields. And it isn’t even the most played sport at UCT.

Soccer is. Friday evenings find the Rhodes or Kopano fields filled with social games played alongside each other. The number of teams participating in the outdoor and indoor internal leagues is much greater than those in any other sport. The Men’s and Women’s First Teams have regular games on the Kopano Astro, with the women’s team regularly thrashing opponents by a four-goal margin or greater.

Where are the blue-painted fans? Where are the chants and buzzing vuvuzelas? Why does attendance at games barely exceed 50 people, mainly friends and family of the players?

UCT Students need to realise that rugby isn’t the only sport on campus. Crowds need to turn up and display the Ikey spirit everyone keeps on campaigning about.

Clubs, too, need to get their act together. Each executive committee needs to have a dedicated marketing representative. Students need to know about the fixtures if they are to turn up in support of the teams. Clubs also need to start looking for sponsorship now. They say money breeds more money, and if a few sponsors are already on board, it’s easier to find more.

Ultimately, it’s about the clubs’ on-field success. No-one wants to come and watch their team lose. Clubs need to get their act together and start preparing for next season now. Take a leaf out of the cricket club’s book. With a new coach, new kit and new sponsors, and lots of practices and training games, they look well prepared for the new season.
Clubs need to be proactive in advertising their games. They need to drum up support for their games. Students need to emerge from their rugby cocoon and  watch other sports more often.

The Ikey nation needs to rise! Rise together! Rise now!