Free State Academy Of Sport

Free State Academy Of Sport Coordination and facilitation of sport specific programmes- and services in the Free State province

My Name is Thato Mekgwe, 19yrs old Karate athlete from Thaba-Nchu. I train & compete proudly for Jahwill Karate Club, un...
12/06/2026

My Name is Thato Mekgwe, 19yrs old Karate athlete from Thaba-Nchu.

I train & compete proudly for Jahwill Karate Club, under my coach Sensei Olebogeng Mekgwe (My father). Having a Sensei for a father, I practically grew up in a Dojo, & started at the age of six.

Our Dojo is at Moroka High School in Thaba-Nchu.

I represented my Dojo on many Provincial tournaments & some National.

My biggest achievement thus far was winning Gold at the South African National Championships in Pretoria. This achievement led to my selection to represent South Africa at the 2026 UFAK Region South Championship in Angola.

Representing my hometown, province & my country on an international stage is a dream & honour.

However, participating internationally comes with significant financial cost.

Every Karateka will attest that, this sport teaches you discipline, perseverance, respect & the importance of hard work.

My goal is to continue developing as an athlete, achieve success internationally & inspire others.

I appreciate everyone who contributed, believed in me & still do to my journey as an athlete. I will continue to make you proud...

🔥 Behind the Coach | 📰 "The most reliable performance environment your athletes will ever know is a prepared coach."Ev...
12/06/2026

🔥 Behind the Coach |
📰 "The most reliable performance environment your athletes will ever know is a prepared coach."

Every coach has a version of themselves that stays calm under pressure. That version isn't about personality — it's about preparation.

This week was about building exactly that: your triggers mapped, your tools trained, your pre-competition protocol designed.

The physiological sigh, the attentional anchor, the 5-second rule — not coping mechanisms. Performance tools. But only if they were built before the pressure hit.

👉 "Champions prepare. Everyone else reacts."

Full article on our WhatsApp channel 👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

🔍 Behind the Coach | Thursday - 📰 "Build Your Pre-Game Protocol"You've built pre-performance routines for your athletes ...
11/06/2026

🔍 Behind the Coach | Thursday - 📰 "Build Your Pre-Game Protocol"

You've built pre-performance routines for your athletes because you know why they work. Here's a question worth sitting with today:

Do you have one for yourself?

Most coaches walk from the stress of their day directly into competition — no reset, no transition, no protocol. Today's article changes that with a simple 3-part framework.

Full article on our WhatsApp channel 👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

⚡ Behind the Coach | Scenario Wednesday📰 "Two Coaches. Same Trigger. Different Outcomes."Two minutes left. Losing by one...
10/06/2026

⚡ Behind the Coach | Scenario Wednesday
📰 "Two Coaches. Same Trigger. Different Outcomes."

Two minutes left. Losing by one. Best player just made the same error twice. Both coaches feel it — same frustration, same urgency.

What happens next is completely different. And it has nothing to do with experience or tactics.

Today's scenario breaks down both responses side by side, including the 3 tools that made the difference.

Full article on our WhatsApp channel 👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

🎯 Behind the Coach | 📰 "What Triggers You — And What That Costs"Most coaches know their triggers. Very few have mapped t...
09/06/2026

🎯 Behind the Coach | 📰 "What Triggers You — And What That Costs"

Most coaches know their triggers. Very few have mapped them — specifically, honestly, and with the question that matters most: what does an athlete experience in the 60 seconds after you react?

Today's article gives you a practical tool to find out.

Full article on our WhatsApp channel 👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

09/06/2026

Final preps before the upcoming weekend's tournaments.

Rifiloe Nketsa and Sizeka Adoons will be in action for Crinums in the TNL semi-finals (and dare we say "finals") this weekend.

Morgan le Bretton will be hoping to also come back with gold at the SA Squash Masters in East London.

Goodluck to all of you!

🧠 Behind the Coach | 📰 "Why Athletes Literally Catch Your Stress" - Train your response When you're stressed on the side...
08/06/2026

🧠 Behind the Coach | 📰 "Why Athletes Literally Catch Your Stress" - Train your response

When you're stressed on the sideline, athletes don't just notice it — their nervous systems physically respond to it. Heart rate. Cortisol. Muscle tension. All of it.

This isn't about reading body language. It's neuroscience — and it changes how you think about emotional control as a coaching skill.

Today's full article is available on our WhatsApp channel 👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

05/06/2026

Trust me when I say its cold in Bfn....but Friday is "Braai day"

FSSSI staff and athletes hard at work!

Behind the Coach - Fuel Friday 🔥“Composed coaches create composed athletes.”Athletes often mirror the emotional behaviou...
05/06/2026

Behind the Coach - Fuel Friday 🔥

“Composed coaches create composed athletes.”

Athletes often mirror the emotional behaviour of coaches during pressure situations.

👉 Calm leadership creates stronger performance environments.

📲 Follow the FSAS FSSSI Coach Education WhatsApp Channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3nm1UKmCPRezEP1N1q

🏌️‍♀️ MEET GABRIELLE "GABBI" VENTER 🏌️‍♀️From representing Free State at just 11 years old to competing on the Sunshine ...
05/06/2026

🏌️‍♀️ MEET GABRIELLE "GABBI" VENTER 🏌️‍♀️

From representing Free State at just 11 years old to competing on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and the Ladies European Tour, Gabrielle Venter is one of South Africa's most exciting young golfing talents.

✨ Career Highlights:

• Former South African No. 1 ranked junior golfer
• Winner of the Nomads SA Girls Stroke Play Championship (2022)
• Winner of the St Andrews Ladies Match Play Championship (2022)
• Sunshine Ladies Tour winner – Cape Town Ladies Open (2024)
• Standard Bank Pro-Am Champion (2023)
• Junior and Senior Protea representative
• Trained at the world-renowned IMG Academy in the USA

Gabbi turned professional after matriculating from Eunice High School and continues to build momentum both locally and internationally. Her goals include qualifying for the LET and LPGA Tours, representing South Africa at the 2028 Olympic Games, and breaking into the Top 100 World Rankings.

A talented athlete, inspiring role model, and proud South African – Gabbi's journey is only just beginning. 🇿🇦⛳

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4 President Street
Bloemfontein
9301

Opening Hours

Tuesday 07:30 - 16:00
Wednesday 07:30 - 16:00
Thursday 07:30 - 16:00

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