Siyavuya Mzantsi
VOLLEYBALL coach Adrian “Gosh” Strijdom, who died of heart failure, has been described as among the best players that the sport in this country and the world has ever seen.
Capetonian Strijdom, 43, died on Thursday during a training session at the University of Johannesburg, where he coached.
He accomplished global stardom in indoor and beach formats of the sport code and served South African sport with excellence.
Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula’s spokesperson, Esethu Hasane, said: “His passing was sudden and was a great loss to the sporting fraternity. Over the years we’ve seen basketball and volleyball growing to the benefit of young sportsmen and sportswomen. Ours is to ensure that efforts put by coaches like Strijdom and the rich legacy he lives behind is carried forward.”
South African Men’s Volleyball coach and Western Cape Volleyball Union president Loet Groenewald said: “He was one of the best players. Off the pitch he was a humble and quiet guy, and he leaves a legacy behind.”
Strijdom was the first volleyball player locally to excel and achieve international status, playing professional volleyball for Markranstadt Volleyball Club in Leipzig in the German Bundesliga.
A memorial service for Strijdom will be held in the Athlone Civic Centre at 7pm on Wednesday.