FINAL MATRIC CHAPEL SERVICE
Joshua van Heerden:
Lessons learnt at College:
So the saying goes, rising stars wake up before the sun, looking at the likes of Kallis, Lara, Sachin
Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers. Well, I want my name amongst these people and the great
thing is that many of them don’t come from overly privileged backgrounds or have anything
that I can’t get my hands onto to achieve what they have achieved so there is no excuse for me
not to be as successful as these people. Excellence is achieved through life organisation,
guidance, your relationships, your dedication, your beliefs and your family, while quality is
about the amount of time you put into these one-percenters to create the full package of
excellence.
Expectations, critics and self-doubt is what approached me as I set foot at St Alban’s College in
January 2012. To be very honest my memories of College are all on the sports field as that is
where I have learnt the most. I had come to College with the weight of expectation on my
shoulders on the cricket field and was unable to rise to the expectations set. I struggled and
every time I set foot on Moshate I felt self-doubt clog my mind. I battled for weeks and months
on end as a cloud of uncertainty hung over me, until a coach by the name of Barry Detert
stepped in to my cricketing life. I spent never ending months refining my technique and in the
process I learned the meaning of dedication. Dedication to achieving a goal, dedication to an
individual as Mr Detert never let me down and dedication to myself to make sure I rose higher
than the expectations set. Barry Detert spent hours with me from the beginning of May to the
end of August ensuring I was ready for our tour to Hilton. Before I went on tour I vividly
remember the words of my mentor Gianstelvio Radesich the Head of School in 2012. He sat me
down and said something along the lines of: "Josh you shouldn’t be traveling to Hilton, you
have the talent and temperament to go to with the 1st Team to Michaelmas, it’s all in your
hands, prove why you should be there and enjoy". This instilled a sense of self-belief within me.
On that tour we beat Hilton by 10 wickets chasing 246 runs to win, a College record which I’m
sure may never be broken in my life time, this proved to me that dedication is a controllable
one-percenter which allows for excellence. 2012 had come and gone and I had two
pillars, self-belief and dedication, contributing to my road to excellence all thanks to two people
who are still mentors to me today Barry Detert and G.
Along came 2013 with the hope of playing 1st team cricket alongside my older brother who was
in matric that year. It was all I could think of day in and day out but I never got given the
opportunity easily. I fought for every inch and was always told that my chance would eventually
come. I was sure that when I got my opportunity I was going to prove why I should have been
there earlier but that plan went horribly wrong as I ended up making just 2 runs before going
out. I was certain that this was not meant to be and that I should have been given my
opportunity earlier and the result would have been different. But as always God has a plan for
each and every one of us and this was his plan for me to play first team at this stage of life and
not in 2012. I was nervous in my second match as we played against KES who had South Africa
u19 players at the time who would go on to win the world cup, I was shaking at the breakfast
table. My brother told me that he was the one who had ensured that I had not played first
team cricket too early as he felt I needed more time to mature in order to perform at that level.
His last words that morning are still the base of my career today. He said that I should play as
though everything depends on me knowing that it all depends on God. That day I made 37 not
out and had faced bowlers who would be holding a world cup six months later. And so as 2013
passed so I gained another pillar on my road to excellence. Thank you Luke.
2014 was marked as a year of transition for me as I moved into MacRobert house. I was now
away from home and away from the support of my immediate family who had always been at
close quarters my whole life. I needed a family away from home and I wasn’t sure if I was going
to get that as I was stepped foot into a new and overwhelmingly successful house. I took time
to adjust but in the end I can truly say that if there was one decision I regret at St Alban’s
College, is that I joined the MacRobert family two years too late. 2014 is where I made two of
my best mates who I will keep for life, Luke and Nish, brothers away from my two brothers at
home. It works out well as Nish looks as though he is the adopted brother in the family, in the
same way that my younger brother Karabo has been adopted into my immediate family. The
MacRobert family have been ever supportive, gents who have left the doors of MacRobert still
message me or meet up with me for a drink or lunch just to show their support of my sporting
dreams. To the MacRobert family my success will forever be owed to you.
2015 and 2016 fit together as they were both years of guidance and life organisation. In 2015 I
made it a goal of mine to play for my country before I leave school. This was a goal which was
far beyond my reach at that stage but I had been given self-belief in my form one year and I felt
that anything was possible. I was taken under the wing of Greg Smith our first team cricket
coach at the moment. For many of you who don’t know Mr Smith is one of two coaches in the
whole of South Africa to have a Cricket World Cup Winning medal. Once again my technique
changed as I felt that I needed to improve as a player. I spent hours in Mr Smith’s office often
bunking English or Math making sure that I would get two or three sessions with him in a week.
To a man who has not only been the guide to my career so far but also in many ways a mentor
to me just in life in general. I am confident in saying that the hours of commitment Mr Smith
has put into me is far more than the hours I have spent in any of my classes. From the hours
spent throwing balls not only here at College, to the hours spent skipping class and watching
videos on my batting, chatting about my goals or technique and the wise words of, control the
controllables and stay in the now. Mr Smith, you have been my most influential mentor and I
will definitely be back for more.
Lastly 2016 was the year where I was coached by a quietly spoken wise man Jonny Nkuna. I
have never met a more reserved man who never says much yet has words of wisdom beyond
belief. Life organisation and relationships are major pillars in achieving excellence and Mr
Nkuna has not only had hours of conversations with me on how I should improve my batting or
how I need to transform my game in order to become excellent. He has also allowed for endless
conversations involving his past and how important organising my life is in order to ensure I
have time for other people and time for my relationships. He has shown commitment to me
and has allowed me to always come for help or guidance spending hours just talking about life
in general after our net sessions. He is someone who often goes unnoticed not because he
doesn’t do enough to be noticed but rather because he does it in a calm and respectful manner.
A mentor and a friend who taught me how important life organisation and relationships really
are.
I wake up before the sun rises hoping to rise to the heights of Kallis, Lara, de Villiers and
Tendulkar. In 5 years I have been taught: life organisation, guidance, the importance of
relationships, dedication, belief and the true meaning of family, the six pillars I need to gain
excellence, all of you will receive the same as long as you are hungry enough to gain excellence.
To those who gain these pillars it is up to us to continue to spend time on these one percenters
to ensure our excellence comes with quality, creating consistency leading to success.
Luke Rosenberg:
Morning school,
When we decided on what to speak about today, I found it really difficult to decide on
something because I have to deliver another speech at Speech Day and I didn’t want to use up
all my good ideas on this chapel service, so I have decided to go with something a bit different
instead.
To start off, I want to ask all of you something. Can anyone come up here and publicly say what
you are scared of. I’m putting it out there, will any one of you come stand here at the podium
and tell the Chapel one thing that you are scared of.
All of us are afraid of many different things, for many different reasons. Often the fear we have
is irrational and may seem ridiculous to others, but it is very real to us. We are scared of many
things… the dark, sharks in swimming pools, some of us giving our reports to parents – it
doesn’t matter, my point is we are all afraid of something.
Many of my regrets in life are because I was afraid. In form
one I had a pretty good voice to say so myself, but I flunked my choir audition on purpose
because I was afraid to get involved and seem interested. Now every time I watch the choir
perform I get a slight feeling of regret that I never got involved for two reasons: the first being
that all ladies love a man who can sing, and the second being that I was too scared to break out
of my comfort zone and watching the choir reminds me of the fear that controlled me.
I think that happens more than we know – letting fear control us. Think of the times you
haven’t put yourself out there or done something because you were afraid. In science, there is
something called “inertia” which is when an object resists a change in motion. See Mr Lodge, I
have learned something this year. Often fear is our inertia on our path of life. We are too afraid
to try the unknown, to put ourselves out there and take a chance in order to become successful,
honourable and worthy.
I’ve realised that when I found the courage to overcome that initial fear, everything isn’t as
scary as it seems. This can be applied in all aspects of life, whether it’s speaking to the prettiest
girl in the room, marking the Jeppe 8th man or hitting that note that will stun the audience. You
have to overcome that fear, to achieve that greatness and excellence that Josh spoke about.
You don’t have to do it alone though, Josh also spoke about people who helped him along the
way, overcome his fears and self-doubt. Be that person to someone else, help each other
overcome fears. Be that wingman, be someone’s hypeman when they are afraid. That is how I
want Albanians to live.
Something a couple of my mates and I realised at this school is that due to the culture of
accusing someone of, ”riding”, we have become afraid. Afraid of giving compliments to one
another and of singing someone’s praises when they deserve it. We are all so scared to appear
to be weak or compassionate towards each other as we don’t want to be seen as anything else
than the alpha male.
Guys, it’s okay to tell someone they are doing a good job, or that they played well, or that the
peak on their bicep is starting to form beautifully from those incline curls. It takes courage to
acknowledge someone for doing a good job because often you may feel inferior to them for
doing so.
Now I’m not saying that you must look deeply into your mates eyes every morning at roll call
and tell them what you love about them. I’m saying it is okay to acknowledge others doing well
and even better than you are. After chapel if you see someone doing something lit, tell them. I
want to challenge everyone to see if we as a school are brave enough to do that. To give
compliments freely without the fear of being ridiculed for doing so. All that it’s going to take is a
couple of people who are brave enough to put themselves out there.
I’m going to ask again if anyone wants to come forward and give any other person in this chapel
a compliment. I’ll start.
Josh you don’t say much but that speech said it all. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Thank you for sharing, hopefully if I come back in a years time there will be many more people
willing to do that. Thank you to those who came up and made yourselves feel vulnerable and
exposed up here, we need more of that in today's society.
I'm going to leave you all with a quote that has stood out to me from the first time I ever heard
it. I say these words to myself whenever I am scared to do something.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. the brave man Is not he who does
not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” - Nelson Mandela
Last week I asked you to be classy, now I’m asking you to be courageous...
Tshedza Magugumela:
“Good morning school.
Today, myself, Luke and Josh will be speaking about something close to our hearts.
Harambe was more than just a gorilla. He was a legend. Oh wait, wrong speech.
An old Irishman once said: "IT'S BEEN THE BEST YEAR EVER".
And I think that aptly describes 2016.
As I stand up here, I think back to the day my St Alban's career started. The year was 2010, and I
had just been given a PR tour by Sechaba Lengane. My mom and I then proceeded to Mr
Hamilton's office where I had my interview. We were scheduled to go to Boys High for the next
one, but as we drove out of the gates, I immediately told my mom that I didn't want to go
anywhere else, that St Alban's was the only school I wanted to go to. It astounds me to think
that already in Grade 6, my dream to attend such a school was already coming to fruition. I still
remember counting down the days in Grade 7 with Marcello Leita, when we were still at
Woodhill College.
Who would've thought that on the 9th of January 2012, the course of history at the College
would change forever. Our year group has always been a special year group, and I think we
inherited this from our Matrics. Nicolas Serra once said, "Being different is not a handicap, it's a
privilege." As Matrics, we've seen this school change in the buildings it raises and the faces that
walk these halls. There's a picture that was taken in the Hamilton quad for the 50th anniversary,
and by the end of next year, none of the boys in that picture will be St Alban's boys. We've
experienced people that today's boys could only imagine of witnessing, the likes of Mr Duffield,
Mr Hingle, the infamous Mr Brown, the crazy Mr van Der Schyff, and who could leave out
Fairweezy. From matrics and form 4's such as Hosepipe, Krause, Beyers, Cody Ellis, and Kenneth
Berger, those gents scared us into the men we are today, in one form or the other. I thank the
school for raising me into the person I am today. I've been fortunate to have had the
opportunity to learn from the men who walked before me and those who walked beside me.
One thing I've valued over the years is my relationships with boys throughout the school. I think
Ruan Murison said it best last year, that he learnt more about life from conversations with boys
than he would have in any classroom. Even with some staff, like Mr Labs and his "quick chats"
that turn into a 15-minute life lesson. As the days left become less and less, it becomes harder
to say goodbye. But what makes this parting so difficult? We're leaving the school that has
formed us into the mature, capable, and charming individuals that we are today. It's our time
here at St Alban's, with its teachers, boys, and unique traditions, that has made us the men that
sit in this Chapel today, so ready for the world that awaits us outside. To the boys that we are
leaving behind and future Albanians that may come, always remember: Enter these gates with
humility, determined to contribute to, and to take advantage of, all that this institution offers,
and depart knowing that you are well equipped to forge your future in the world.
True College boys are a dying breed. They are wanted by many and always in need, he stands
for teachers and shows respect, a true College boy will always stand out from the rest.
He fights for his brothers and will die for them too, what is a true College boy and could it be
you? He accepts change but only when right, this College battle seems a losing fight.
He would fight until the very end, with a helping hand always willing to lend. With an old badge
branded into our hearts, making sure it's not a thing of the past.
Underdogs are always favoured indeed, and we shall do our best to save the dying breed.
None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious and be grateful for the
opportunities the College gives you. I know we are. Thank you.”