About Us

“An overnight success usually takes about 10 years to develop” - Anonymous

owen-van-niekerk

Owen van Niekerk is a very versatile coach who has coached more than 600 South African Champions. He has coached SA and African Record holders in many events. Although he is well known as a sprint, hurdle and jump coach, he has also coached many athletes in the multi events, throws as well as long and middle distances.

He gained his vast knowledge and experience as the Head Coach of the SA Defense Force (30 years) and Head Coach of the very strong Rand Afrikaans University team (18 years). Although now on pension, he still coaches at the University of Potchefstroom and runs his own club in Johannesburg. He also spent 5 years doing extensive research on the development of young athletes at a primary school in Johannesburg. 

During his sporting career Owen received provincial colours for 10 different sports and national colours in Track and Field. He also held the SA and African Records for Triple Jump for 15 years and won SA Titles in the Decathlon. He was the national coach for Track and Field on various occasions, as well as the National coach of the first SA team which competed in
the Winter Games in Lillehammer.

Owen is an avid reader and collector of Track and Field books, which he religiously analyses in order to develop optimal training programmes for his athletes. He is passionate about the development of young athletes and continuously strives to improve his training methods through dedicated research. He is against the overtraining of athletes and strongly advocates rest and recovery as part of his programmes. He has done vast research into the development of pure speed, explosive spring exercises and of both the white and red muscle fibre types of athletes.