Dirkie Strydom
WBHS is pleased to announce the appointment of Dirkie Strydom as Rugby 1st Team Head Coach with effect from the 2017 season. Attached to this position, is his role as Director of Rugby Coaching in which his main function will be coaching the coaches.
Dirkie has an impressive pedigree resulting from his 13 years as a professional Rugby player and coach. He has represented the Sharks in the Super 12, Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions (1997-1998); Griquas in the Curie Cup and Vodacom Cup (1999-2001), following which he spent six years in Ireland as player-coach at Ballymena RFC 1st XV (2002-2007). He was selected for the SA Sevens team (1996-2001), the SA Barbarians Sevens team (1995 & 1998) and the SA Barbarian XV (2001).
As a professional coach, he led Ballymena to the title of Ulster champions for three consecutive years. His school-based experience has primarily been at HTS Middelburg, a school with a high reputation in Rugby circles. He has coached the HTSM 1st team for three years (2011-2013), and the Under 15A, Under 16A and Sevens teams at various stages. He led each of these teams to unprecedented success in the open competitions in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, such as the Beeld, @lantic and inland schools’ Super 16 competitions. In addition, he was appointed as coach of the provincial Pumas Academy and Sevens teams.
Dirkie is very familiar with school and Rugby environments, having been a school boy at Affies, and having completed his qualification as a teacher of commercial subjects at WBHS this year.
NEW PROMOTIONS IN THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT
We congratulate Myles Usher and Cameron MacKay on their new positions in vital roles in the Sports Department.
Myles Usher has been appointed as Director of Wellness & Conditioning. His priority will be guiding coaches and pupils on appropriate training programmes, active recovery and dietary issues.
Cameron MacKay takes on the role of Director of Hockey. He continues in his role as 1st team Hockey Head-coach, a position in which he has been integral to the superb results achieved by our teams over the past three years.