It is with much sadness that the South African Sports Coaching Association (SASCA) announced Wednesday the death of Mr Nico Coetzee, a SASCA board member and Head Coach of SA Wrestling. Mr Coetzee died suddenly Tuesday afternoon from a heart attack. He was 56 years old.
Mr Coetzee was an internationally respected wrestling coach and coach developer. He worked as South African Junior National Coach from 2006 and a senior national coach from 2009. His athletes medalled numerous times in Commonwealth Games, All African Games, African Championships and other international competitions.
Since 2006, Mr Coetzee had been involved in coach development in South Africa and internationally as an United World Wrestling coach educator.
“I was privileged to serve with him on the board of SASCA. He was a silent campaigner of equity, transparency and sport excellence,” SASCA Chairperson Farrell Moses said. “He had an insatiable appetite to bring out the best in his athletes.”
Mr Coetzee is survived by his mother, his wife, Debbie, and his two children Nicole and Marco.
On behalf of the SASCA board, Mr Moses sent condolences to the Coetzee family.
