single-post.php post

Meet WPCA’s Gabi-Lee van der Westhuizen


August 2020

During Women’s Month, Western Province Cricket Association will be celebrating our amazing women who work for the organisation in a series of articles across our website and social media pages. In the next of our articles, we meet Gabi-Lee van der Westhuizen.

Position:

WP Women’s & U19 Girls Team Manager and Trainer

Tell us how you came to be working at Newlands Cricket Ground?

I volunteered as a fitness trainer in 2013 and thereafter, was afforded the opportunity to become part of the senior women’s management team as a fitness trainer and manager.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing our players grow into responsible adults and professional players. It’s rewarding to see results in the process and in value. Seeing them excel as Proteas or Graduating from school, university, scoring a hundred, taking a 5-for etc. They are all rewarding and satisfying!

Many would argue that you have one of the most iconic work venues in South Africa, how do you go about appreciating Newlands Cricket Ground as your office?

When we train there, we HAVE to take a photo of our session with the mountain backdrop. It’s always a unique moment for us as we don’t always have the opportunity to train at Newlands, but we always throw in appreciation posts on Instagram when we are there – it’s a special place.

Tell us something that not many people will know about you

I’m a sports administrator/teacher and a masters student. I love football and I’m not a great golfer haha…still learning.

What are some of your most memorable occasions at Newlands?

Being part of the winning semi-final against Northerns in 2013. Was my first big match, first semi-final, and first match at Newlands as part of the WP Women’s Team. I played my first cricket game at Newland in 2015 – a T20 club cricket final. And every New Year’s Test that I’ve been to, have all been memorable.