About

SAS

Welcome to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS), a custom-built, high-performance training facility in the heart of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

SAS is dedicated to meeting the needs of both aspiring and professional athletes and sports teams. Our mission is simple: to provide a high-performance training environment where athletes can focus solely on their performance, while we take care of everything else.

At SAS we understand that peak performance requires more than just physical training. The academy is managed by staff that understand your sport and training needs and offers world-class training facilities, on-site premium accommodation, sports nutrition and top performance and recovery experts who are dedicated to helping you reach your full potential.

Stellenbosch Academy of Sport - HD

Our
Vision

To be recognised as a world-class, high-performance, sport training and preparation environment.
The words "elite" and "excellence" roll off the tongue when applied to the business of professional sport - the modern day extension of the games played centuries ago by the world's forefathers.

Those same forefathers may have used sticks and bits of rock to generate some form of physical activity, but the nature of sport has evolved so much, to the extent that sport is no longer solely a leisure activity, but also a multi-million dollar business and a viable, prospective career for promising youngsters to aspire to.

There is, however, no point in aspiring to a career of mediocrity, and in the cut-throat world of modern day professional sport, elite performance is the benchmark for success, satisfaction and fulfilling one's potential.
The Stellenbosch Academy of Sport seeks to provide the environment in which to develop and train, in order to attain that 'excellence of performance'.

SAS offers an all-encompassing world-class facility, situated in the beautiful South African winelands of Stellenbosch.

Facilities and services on-site include indoor and outdoor training fields, a state-of-the-art gym, access to leading sports scientists, doctors, coaches, physiotherapists and biokineticists, cutting-edge conference facilities, comfortable athlete accommodation and performance-nutrition catering.
Sport has the power to change the world.
It has the power to inspire.

It has the power to unite people in a way that
little else does.
- Nelson Mandela

Our
People

SAS has passionate and dedicated staff to support resident and visiting teams and athletes.

Our client facing team members include:
Neil de Kock

CEO of SAS

Neil de Kock
As a former professional and international rugby player, Neil brings his experience of the demanding nature of the international arena and the needs and requirements of professional teams and athletes to the SAS environment.
Jacques Hanekom

Head of Rugby

Jacques Hanekom
Former provincial rugby coach. Specialist in rugby player recruitment and development pathways. Responsible for SAS Rugby programmes and initiatives.
Johan van Wyk

Head of Performance Unit

Johan van Wyk
Former professional rugby player, locally and abroad. Qualified Physiotherapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach, specialising in providing integrated solutions to aspiring and professional athletes and teams.

SAS

Board Members
  • Neil de Kock (CEO)
  • Faffa Knoetze
  • Rob Benadie
  • Pieter Louw
  • Pieter Kotze
  • Jacques Hanekom
  • Johan van Wyk

SAS
History

2009

  • First plans drafted for the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.

    2012

    • 11 January 2012: SAS Official Opening.
    • Springbok Sevens & WPRI move in.
    • First international visitors: Germany’s Magdeburg Swimming Team.
    • Melbourne Rebels
    • Ajax Cape Town FC
    • First International Hockey Team: Dutch Women’s Hockey

      2013

      • First International Triathlon Team: Austrian Triathlon Federation.
      • Hawthorn Football Club
      • Millfield FC – School Tour
      • Saracens Rugby
      • Austrian Men’s Hockey
      • SuperSport United FC
      • ICBC Pampas

        2014

        • First Springbok Men’s Training Camp, followed by the Springbok Women’s Camp.
        • First International Soccer Team: PEC Zwolle.
        • First International Athletics Team: Athletics GB.
        • Christian Taylor (USA Athletics)
        • Polish Triathlon Team
        • Brazil 7s Rugby Team
        • Susana Costa & Nelson Evora (Portugal, Athletics).
        • Royal Air Force Women’s Rugby
        • England Rugby u18

          2015

          • British Swimming Squad
          • Dutch Men’s Hockey Team
          • First SA Rugby 7s Women squad move in.
          • Chad le Clos
          • LJ van Zyl
          • Junior Springboks
          • KVIK Swimming Denmark
          • Dutch Women’s Cycling
          • Sponsored and hosted ITF Tournaments

            2016

            • CSI Programme established.
            • Launch of SAS Rugby
            • Paralympic Champion Richard Whitehead
            • SA Hockey Men's courtesy visit.
            • World Triathlon Champion Javier Gomez
            • First SASRII intake
            • Dutch Paralympic Swimming Team
            • German Women’s Hockey
            • India Women’s Hockey
            • Manuel Fumic and German MTB Team
            • SA Triathlon Squad
            • Stellenbosch Sport Ambassadors Campaign
            • Wallabies legend Tim Horan courtesy visit.

              2017

              • Belgium Women’s Hockey
              • Expanding our facilities.
              • Olympic and World Champion Wayde van Niekerk courtesy visit.
              • The first intake for the SA Rugby Academy.
              • First annual SAS Rugby Coaching Seminar.
              • England Women’s Hockey
              • Wits FC
              • Japan Triathlon

                2018

                • Spanish Athletics
                • Energy Standard Swimming Team
                • Purchased Stellenbosch Football Club.
                • Berlin Elite Swimming Team
                • Our first SAS Rugby 7s Programme.
                • XCO World Cup
                • Hosted Olympic MTB champions Julien Absalon and Julie Bresset.
                • SA MTB Champion: Mariske Strauss
                • First County Cricket Club: Middlesex
                • Uganda 7s
                • Uruguay 7s
                • French Rugby 7s Academy
                • Zoë Kruger

                  2019

                  • Opening of the SAS Indoor Gym.
                  • Royal Antwerp Hockey
                  • Brazil Rugby 7s Women
                  • German Rugby 7s Men
                  • Dutch Athletics

                    2020

                    • Dutch Para Swimming

                      2021

                      • SFC plays 100th match under SAS Ownership.
                      • Opening of the Indoor Cricket Facility at PRG.
                      • Kenya Women’s Rugby
                      • Tennis Legend Bjorn Borg pays courtesy visit.

                        2022

                        • SAS Celebrates a Decade of Excellence.
                        • SA Netball
                        • First URC team: Ospreys
                        • England Netball
                        • NZ Rugby u19
                        • World Cup 7s international teams.

                          2023

                          • URC Teams
                          • Judo Germany
                          • Svoen Danmark
                          • SA Netball
                          • France Rugby u20
                          • New Zealand Rugby u20
                          • Melina Rugby Women’s Club
                          • Blue Bulls Rugby Squad
                            I love SAS and Stellenbosch!
                            Max Caldas
                            International Hockey Coach

                            hockey

                            netherlands

                            Professional athletes and teams from around the world train at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
                            Contact SAS
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