Sports officer: Allan Nghixulifwa
Allan Nghixulifwa is a dedicated sports officer at the University of Namibia. His passion for sports, particularly rugby and basketball, has driven his career, where he excels in organising and managing sports activities across the university's 12 campuses.Nghixulifwa's interest in sports began early. "During my younger years, the only reason my parents supported my sports career was that it kept me away from the streets. While other kids were involved in drugs and alcohol, I was busy with sports," he said.
His dedication to basketball was evident even during his studies at IUM, where he spent most of his time on the court.
This passion led him to pursue an advanced diploma in sports science, specialising in basketball, at the University of Leipzig, Germany.
"Sports is my passion, sports is my life. Even today, at the age of 39, I still play basketball at a high level in Namibia," he said.
Health and fitness
As a sports officer, Nghixulifwa's job involves dealing with student life beyond academics. "We arrange and organise sports events for our athletes, ensuring all necessary and required equipment and manpower are available for the different sports teams across all 12 Unam campuses," he explained.
His responsibilities include supervising coaches, keeping track of their records and helping them prepare for upcoming games, both at home and away.
"In short, all basic needs for a team, such as transportation, meals, accommodation, physiotherapy, and the players' health and fitness, are essential and should be considered to ensure the team’s success," he added.
Grab opportunities
Nghixulifwa believes that key skills and attributes are crucial for success in sports and fitness. "You need to know where you came from and where you want to go. Nothing is given; you have to earn it. I always tell athletes that you can’t cheat the game. You can’t cheat to be a successful athlete. You can’t go around it; you can’t go over it; you have no choice but to go through it."
Nghixulifwa advocates daily dedication to one’s passion, citing sports science that shows consistent practice can make one better than 95% of the world in any discipline.
Regarding emerging trends in the sports and fitness industry, Nghixulifwa shared his perspective: "I’m old school. As I said earlier, don’t wait for an opportunity to be given to you; you need to go and grab it. A lot of potential professionals are unable to reach their goals because they’re waiting for an opportunity."