Bredasdorp martial arts champion Rodney Ahrends has been practising kickboxing and Taekwondo for over two decades. Over time, he has received many awards and represented the South African National Air Force and Defence Force at the Martial Arts Olympics on more than one occasion.

Now, Ahrends, who started participating in these sports in 2001 when he was 19, has started a new journey. He and his wife Jackie recently opened the Triple-D Martial Arts Club, through which they dream of training the next Olympians in this sport.

Ahrends is no stranger to the role of coach. He was born and grew up in Bredasdorp. When he returned in 2013, he started the Tip of Africa Kickboxing Academy as a nonprofit organisation.

Time to give back

“I opened a club with my cousin,” he recalls. “We decided that it was time to give back to the community.” As a nonprofit, classes were free at the time.

“Even though we didn’t have a proper fixed venue, we had help from church facilities, Cape Agulhas Municipality and the department of sports for funding and equipment,” says Ahrends.

“There are so [few] opportunities in our community, so it is up to us to create those platforms for [kids],” Ahrends tells Suidernuus. As a nonprofit, they would take kids to the Entheos Boxing Academy where the kids could see and experience professional facilities, including a boxing ring. The initiative eventually stopped in 2015, because of a lack of financial support. But the husband and wife team who previously held the title of SANDF kickboxing champion for U/91kg, as well as SANDF heavyweight champion.

Making a difference to lives

Almost 50 members have already joined the club - 22 of them kickboxers. Members from as young as seven can join. Apart from kickboxing, the club also hosts fitness and training classes.

The club plans to start with crossfit classes too, Jackie Ahrends tells Suidernuus.

She believes the classes make a huge difference to the lives of children participating, especially by teaching them discipline and learning to respect others.

“They’re also learning self-defense. Not to engage in fighting outside. But just how to protect themselves.”

Arista Visagie joined the fitness classes at the club at the start of February. Since she started, she says, she feels more energised and motivated.

“Triple-D has been a very good influence in my life,” says Visagie. Ahrends’ dreams for the club are big.

“Kickboxing was approved and it is now acknowledged as an Olympic sport, which means nothing can stop our club members to compete in the 2028 Olympics in USA,” he says.

Wayne Arimoso