I am proud to be a past pupil of Kloof High School. I matriculated in 1996. A whole 24 years ago!! Today I am a proud mother of three daughters, one who is in Grade 9 at Kloof High School!
I enjoyed the Academics Kloof High offered me, but for me, the best was all the sporting opportunities we had. My excellent sporting coaches at Kloof High School passed on their skills as well as their positive attitudes which certainly has helped me throughout life and all the challenges life has thrown at me. They taught me to THINK BIG, (as in the poem attached at the end of this article). The Stellenbosch hockey camps the school took us on were phenomenal!! Best ever! I went on these hockey camps in grades 9,10 and 11, and was delighted to win Player of the Tournament in Grade 11. Kloof High always gave us the very best opportunities. Miss Schwegmann and Mrs Walker stand out in my mind. Their ongoing support and encouragement helped me achieve so many dreams and goals, especially in hockey, as I went on to represent South Africa on a number of occasions, both at school level and beyond. The present coaches at Kloof High continue to instill these high standards and encouragement in the pupils, and my daughter Abigail is now enjoying these with her hockey at the very same school!
Mrs Grant-Stuart was my Science teacher and Miss Ortmann Biology. Both inspired me to venture into the Health Sciences after school. I went on to study Occupational Therapy and qualified in the year 2000. I am privileged to be able to practice in this capacity at the local Kloof schools, as well as run my busy home.
Looney Lympics has to also get a mention – so ably organised by Mr Lanz and his team. What a fun day that was – running up a slippery wet ‘bottom field’ bank with a bucket of water in hand was no easy feat!!
Kloof High also gave me life-long friendships, which remain very special to me. “Friends are like walls, sometimes you lean on them, and sometimes it’s good just knowing they are there”. I loved school. My message to the students of today is that they must enjoy every moment and try and do as much as possible, because life is not the same after school, and it goes by in a flash!
I have been blessed with a beautiful family. Abigail is at Kloof High School at present, and my twins, Rachel and Jodie, are at Kloof Senior Primary. It has been amazing to return to these Kloof schools as a parent! My husband, Andrew, is at present a member of the governing body at Kloof High School. It is wonderful to be a part of this very special school again, and great to have Mr Holding at the reigns!
In conclusion, I really need to emphasize that Kloof High School always offered me the very best opportunities to reach my goals, be it in sport or academics. As a result, I have chosen this school for my own children. For us to do that, a generation later is the very best vote of confidence Kloof High School can have.
Thank you, Kloof High School, and may God continue to bless you.
THINK BIG
If you think you are beaten – you are!
If you think you dare not – you don’t!
If you like to win – but think you can’t
It’s just about certain you WON’T!
If you think you’ll lose – you’re lost
For out in the world we find
Success begins in a fellow’s will
ITS ALL IN A STATE OF MIND.
Full many a race is lost
Ere ever a step is run
And many a coward fails
Ere ever his work’s begun.
THINK BIG and your deeds will GROW,
THINK small and you’ll fall behind,
THINK that YOU CAN and you WILL
IT’S ALL IN A STATE OF MIND.
If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles do not always go
To the stronger or the faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the fellow who thinks he CAN!
This poem was given to me by Miss Schwegmann before an interprovincial hockey tournament. She was the coach for the under 18A Natal team (when I was in grade 10) and I made the SA team for the first time that year.
JEN KRUGER (NEE ELLIS)
CLASS OF 1996 (DEPUTY HEAD-GIRL)
