Curro Holdings, the JSE-listed independent education provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of Cindy van der Merwe as Portfolio Manager at Curro Sport.
She is tasked with driving Curro’s strategy to be recognised as a leader in education through sport. The Curro group now has more than 180 schools and is ambitious about offering a comprehensive and innovative sport curriculum.
“Cindy brings a wealth of experience to the position, having previously managed the rugby and events portfolios at Stellenbosch University,” says Cobus Loubser, Curro Holdings CEO. “She will be driving our vision to inspire generations of champions by creating opportunities and establishing Curro as the ultimate hub for personal growth and athletic triumph.”
Van der Merwe holds an Honours Degree in Sport Science from Stellenbosch University and has wide-ranging experience, including volunteering at the Sydney Olympic Games, being part of the UCI MTB World Cup LOC held in Stellenbosch, hosting 10 years of live broadcast Varsity Cup matches, coaching netball, and teaching aerobics classes, among other things.
“Sport is a major focus across all Curro’s schools from 2024, so watch this space!” she says. “We are creating unparalleled sporting opportunities for our learners, staff and the surrounding communities, showcasing amazing talent and hopefully inspiring future champions.”
Van der Merwe says sport is an important component of the school group’s offering. “Sport equips learners with skills, experiences and character traits that they need to excel in life.”
For example, Curro Podium Athletics, billed as the most prestigious high school athletics event in Southern Africa and approved by Athletics SA (ASA), is specifically designed to ignite passion and inspire champions. Based on the success of the high school programme, Podium has been expanded to primary school level, ensuring that the Podium series will also cater to budding primary school athletes aged between 7-13 years and fostering sporting excellence from the grassroots level.
The Pitso Mosimane Soccer School coaching programme has been expanded to more Curro schools in 2024. The exciting program is focused on the skills of particularly primary school learners and will fast track the football development of boys and girls to perform at the highest levels.
Other exciting Curro Sport projects lined up include hosting more tournament events, “coaching the coaches” campaigns and fun and engaging coaching clinics for learners.
“Curro is committed to impacting lives and transforming entire communities through sports development,” says Loubser. “We aim to ensure that our learners are provided incomparable opportunities to showcase talent. We believe in the transformative power of sports to shape champions on and off the field, and their outcomes speak for themselves – fostering greater participation, nurturing a culture of discipline and excellence, creating career pathways, and forging powerful partnerships as a leading brand in the world of sports.”