UPDATED
Dean Carelse is officially the new Westville 1st XV rugby assistant coach. Carelse joined Westville from Grey High, where he had at a stage been the 1st XV coach. In this his first rugby season at Westville in 2014, he was head coach of their under-16A team. So it has been a meteoric rise to the top. You can find out more about Dean Carelse’s background here: link
According to a source in another rugby change Westville Class of 2006 headboy Jo-Ash van Aswegen, who had been involved in the 2nd XV set up along the way will take over as new Director of Rugby.
The current 1st XV head coach Grant Bell has had his contract renewed for one year and will still be in charge of the 1st XV.
Torsten Sorensen, the 1st XV assistant coach for the past couple of seasons will be part of the under-16A set up in 2015.
It’s assumed that Bell will continue to work with the backs while Carelse takes on the responsibility of the forwards.
The changes at Westville will in all likelihood be overshadowed by fresh allegations of Westville using less than worthy tactics to acquire rugby players from several Eastern Cape Border schools, with locals from the region once again finding reason to link the KZN school’s recruitment activities in their region to the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.
@beet: need to agree with you , on some level, but each coach, speaking as one, has a preference for a type of game, he feels is the winning formula, and to this end , he picks players that play the way he feels a player needs to play in a position within a team, to acquire the result he wishes, and ultimately it’s to be the winning side consistently.
Parents might not see, this, having been a parent, I understand this, as I do from a coaching perspective, BUT there needs to be or allow the boys to show their ability on the field at some point or at a higher level, only by doing this will you know if the boy can play at that level, and it needs to be done on more than one occasion simply a once off chance ,
Warming the bench the whole season isn’t the answer,
However it goes back to the 1st team at school, I think we have moved from the traditional 15 man line up and the 2nd team then fill the bench, and so on and so on, I think at the 1st LEVEL YOU NEED TO HAVE THE SQUAD, why? Well the guys coming off from the 2nd team game, ultimately go on sore stiff and cold into the 1st team game, and expected to perform, ludicrous in the level of today’s game, its fine for reserves in the teams below as they really only go on for really to reasons, to see they might possibly be tested at the next level or injured, but the squad allows boys to go down and test themselves and allow boys fresh to perform at that level.
@Scrum Doctor: Here is something to take into account when comments are made about coaches.
At successive club rugby games last year I happened to stand next to WestvilleOB’s fathers. During the discussions I asked them the exact same question about Mike Vowles who by then was the former Wvl coach and not yet assistant at Glenwood.
The first father who’s son had played 1st XV and kept a top player on the bench, described Mike as a brilliant coach.
The second father who’s son played in a totally different position to the first father’s son and who’s son had warmed the 1st team bench at Wvl for virtually the whole season felt that not renewing Mike’s contract was the best decision Wvl had ever made because he wasn’t up to scratch.
I was convinced that the two polarised opinions of MV had a lot less to do with his genuine ability as a coach and more to do with how their sons had fared at 1st XV level.
Based on his success with Wvl, I myself had recommended Mike to two different schools who were looking for a senior rugby personnel at different times during 2013. I wonder if either of those schools decision-makers regrets not contracting him when they had the chance/s.
@beet: Well that’s the end of the U 16 then !!
Dean is a good mate with a serious SBR coaching pedigree and an exciting vision for Westville rugby going forward. Together with Grant they will be a powerful coaching team which as an Old boy makes me very happy! Maybe a warm-up fixture against Clifton is on the cards…
My humble apologies to all.
I jumped the gun here.
Dean will in fact be the assistant coach next year while Grant will continue on as head coach.
Torsten Sorensen is the unfortunate coach in the sense that it is not by his wishes that he goes down to u16A.
@Buffel: Good, glad they caught him if true. Hopefully other schools will double check their kids too and not sweep the issues under the carpet aka turned ankles etc…
Not all the heat off Glenwood. There is an apparent age issue that will rear its ugly head in the very near future. Watch this space. It is another ”Siyabonga like” issue.
People worry about a boy who wishes to repeat Matric and they are all up in arms but if there is a 21 year old playing, the offenders get a slap on the wrist. Ignorance is bliss.
@Grasshopper: there is always a possibility of Grant B and Dean both coaching the 1st team . Grant has done a brilliant job at WBHS and GK and CW . Dean is an astute rugby man and teacher who brings loads to the table . I personally think that they would make a formidable pair !
Dean Carelse is a good man. He will take Westville to new heights. I know him from refereeing circles – he has an astute rugby brain and is very in tune with the modern game. Good luck to him – Westville have made a fine choice here.
Interesting, so where is Grant Bell going?
@Greenwood: I think there are those opposed to the outspoken defenders of Glenwoods actions, not Glenwood haters (ok a few trolls, but they don’t count) nor do they hate the school or it’s pupils or Old Boys. In Westville’s case, there are Westville supporters, parents and Old Boys, who are outspoken against the schools actions and have or are disappointed by the school and have said as much or addressed the issue with the school. Many have spoken out about the HP import issue and they, if my memory serves me correctly, brought the issue to our attention on this blog. There are obviously some blind, deaf and dumb supporters, as there are of any endeavor.
Like I said in a posting last nite – Westville no doubt will take the heat off Glenwood
We have Glenwood haters – will there now be ‘Ville haters ?
And now what about all the other “Transgressors” – even if a school poaches just one boy they are just as guilty ….
Interesting times ahead