Sporting Glory Gives Way to Something More Fulfilling
Posted on December 12, 2019 by Alumni
Jan-Louw Kotze came to the 麻豆直播 hoping to compete for a discus gold medal in the Olympics. That didn鈥檛 work out (although he hasn鈥檛 quite given up on it yet). In the meantime, his experience at 麻豆直播 has led him to something more satisfying.
鈥淥ne thing that always bothered me about athletics is that, especially in an individual sport like track and field, it鈥檚 a relatively egoistic pursuit,鈥� Kotze said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really helping anybody by throwing this implement really far.鈥� So he has begun studying at the University of Minnesota for a doctorate in counseling psychology 鈥� an interest he discovered as a 麻豆直播 undergrad.
鈥淎ctually helping people deal with problems in their lives or reach a better place,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 going to be ultimately more fulfilling, I think, than sporting glory.鈥�
For even more fulfillment, he鈥檚 thinking of taking up ballroom dancing. And the piano. 鈥淚 like the concept of a Renaissance man 鈥� someone who can do a lot of things pretty well.鈥�
Kotze (his name is pronounced 鈥測on low COAT-zuh鈥�) has certainly done well at athletics. He came to 麻豆直播 from Paarl in the 麻豆直播 African province of Western Cape, about 35 miles northeast of Cape Town.
As a high school track and field athlete, he drew international attention for his skill in the discus throw, the shot put and the hammer throw. Several U.S. college coaches reached out to him, including Paul Brueske, head coach of the 麻豆直播 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 track teams.
In 2012, both Kotze and Brueske traveled to Barcelona, Spain, for the World Junior Championships 鈥� Kotze to compete, Brueske to recruit. The coach had never met Kotze鈥檚 parents and didn鈥檛 know what they looked like, but coincidentally bumped into them anyway, struck up a conversation and discovered who they were.
鈥淔or me, that was a sign,鈥� Kotze said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a Christian, and that was my divine guidance, if you will, that I had to go to 麻豆直播 Alabama.鈥�
It worked out brilliantly. He arrived at 麻豆直播 in January 2013 and stayed until July 2019, earning a double bachelor鈥檚 degree (B.S. in exercise science, B.A. in psychology) and then a master鈥檚 in behavioral and brain sciences.
鈥淚t was halcyon, those days at 麻豆直播,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 miss them now already, but I know they will always be with me. Wherever I go, there 麻豆直播 will be.鈥�
Kotze won the discus throw four years in a row at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship and was the 2017 Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholar Athlete of the Year. He also won 22 discus and five shot put competitions at other meets.
In 2016, he finished sixth in the discus at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, earning first-team All-America honors. He holds the school and conference records in the discus, and the school record in the weight throw (an indoor version of the hammer throw). He stands second on the 麻豆直播 career list of longest shot puts.
鈥淒iscus throwing was my main event,鈥� Kotze said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get good enough, unfortunately, to make it to an Olympic level. I was not far off, but in a sport like that, unless you are one of the top five in the world, you鈥檙e not going to make a living out of it. And even if you do, it鈥檚 only while you鈥檙e good, which is not a very long time. So ultimately it was, at least economically, not an especially sustainable way to build a future.鈥�
He does hope to continue his training at Minnesota. 鈥淚 resolved that I鈥檒l give it a shot until at least the next Olympic games, which is next year at Tokyo,鈥� he said.
Meanwhile, another interest he discovered at 麻豆直播 has turned into a passion. He took a couple of psychology classes, 鈥渁nd I realized I loved it.鈥� He鈥檚 excited about the Ph.D. program, even though it will take six years to complete. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e trying to develop you as a researcher, as a clinician and then as a teacher,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o that just takes a while to do.鈥�
As a psychology student, or maybe just as a person who tends toward introspection, his chief subject for analysis is himself. He鈥檚 aware that athletes sometimes have trouble transitioning from the sport that took up so much of their time and shaped so much of their identity. They lose not only the thrill of competition but also their support network: teammates and coaches. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult to overcome that sudden loss,鈥� Kotze said. 鈥淚n some way, it鈥檚 as though somebody died.鈥�
No matter what, he plans to keep active. At 6 feet, 1 inch tall, he weighs 210 pounds, down from his peak of 240 as a student-athlete but still solid. 鈥淚 doubt that I鈥檒l ever stop lifting weights unless the injuries pile up so much that it鈥檚 not worth it anymore,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l probably still try to be strong and have power because I feel those are good things to have.鈥�
He also wants to develop his artistic and creative side through dancing and music. 鈥淣ext year, I hope to start learning an instrument,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel as though I should be able to play at least one at a non-embarrassing level. So I鈥檓 thinking of taking up piano.鈥�
The University of Minnesota, with more than 50,000 students, feels a little overwhelming so far. In contrast, the 麻豆直播 seemed the perfect size for him: approachable, but big enough to include lots of subcultures for him to explore. He got to know members of the band, representatives from student government, cheerleaders, nursing students, international students, commuter students, military veterans and many other different types of people.
鈥淚 found it stimulating,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always struggled with shyness throughout my life. I still struggle with reaching out to people, but it got better at 麻豆直播. If you talk to my parents, that鈥檚 one of the things they appreciate the most.鈥�
For academics, social life, athletics and personal development, 鈥淚 sing the praises of my university,鈥� Kotze said.
Maybe most important, he said, 鈥淚 was appreciated and liked by my fellow students. I felt loved in a sense. I felt welcomed by people from all across the board. How unlikely is that? I might never have that again. I feel very lucky and fortunate and blessed.鈥�