Students do KeNako Academy proud

GEORGE NEWS - KeNako Golf and Sports Academy in George is expecting 37 overseas students, mostly Asian, to join their programme next year. Included in this group will be their first Kenyan student and possibly also a nine-year-old girl from Korea.
KeNako Academy hosted their second annual awards ceremony on Friday night and honoured the students for their achievements over the past year, saying goodbye to the first ever graduates, Matthew Sutherland and Breyten Meyer. Two trees, sporting their names on plaques, will be planted in their honour.

KeNako Academy chairman, Ron Boon said they plan to continue this tradition and hope to start an entire forest bearing all future school leavers’ names.

Sutherland also took top honours and was named student of the year. In January, both Sutherland and Meyer reaped the fruit of their efforts by qualifying for the SA Amateur Golf Championships.
KeNako is going from strength to strength and between 80 and 100 young players will take part in the KeNako SA Junior Masters in March next year and the event will be watched by millions of viewers across the globe.

Head professional coach, Roger Wessels says their success is due to the academy’s holistic approach. "Our students are constantly exposed to top, cutting edge coaching techniques and skills. At KeNako every student gets individual attention and his or her progress is monitored scientifically. We work with the whole person, physically and mentally."

Dr Sherylle Calder has recently joined the team and is globally recognised as a leading sport scientist in visual skills. She is the only person who holds a formal PhD in visual performance skills training. Through her eye gym training techniques she has worked with many international sport stars, helping German Nico Hulkenberg secure pole position in the 2010 Brazil Formula One Grand Prix. She has also worked with the last two winning Rugby World Cup sides (England 2003, South Africa 2007) and with the Protea cricketers during their stay at the academy earlier this year. Her work with school children has led to a marked improvement, not only in their sporting performance, but also academically speaking.

Boon says KeNako Academy will continue to grow. "We do not only offer golf. Students come here to expand their culture, their English abilities and to become well rounded individuals."

Student of the year, Matthew Sutherland with his parents Graham and Maré.

The students and their mentors. From the back left are Jan Fourie (biokineticist), Sandra Winter (physiotherapist), Breyten Meyer and Matthew Sutherland (academy graduates), Roger Wessels (head golf coach), Daniel Abraham (student) and Steven Buhr (sport psychologist). In the front from the left are students Joshua Snyman, Sami Keating and Garen Niemand.