A dedicated innings

RIP ... Dr Richard Stretch

In February next year Varsity Sport will introduce T20 cricket for South Africa’s top cricketing universities.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University will be there but sadly the man who spearheaded the university’s inclusion in the Varsity Sport and Varsity Cup concept over so many years will not be.

NMMU Madibaz Director of Sport Dr Richard Stretch died unexpectedly this week after an operation to treat cancer. He was only 61.

How very sad.

Dr Stretch, who grew up in Graaff-Reinet, just loved his sport, but especially his cricket. He’d been a player himself, batting for Border and captaining the South African Country Districts team. He was also a committee man, serving on the Border Cricket Board, with a three-year as president, the EP Cricket Board, as well as the South African Cricket Medical Committee and the Research Committee (chairperson) for a number of years.

His love of cricket spawned a 25-year research career, and only last year he celebrated his half-century with his 50th peer-reviewed scientific publication as a National Research Foundation C1-rated researcher. Most of that research was aimed at the enhancement of cricket, especially sport injuries in young cricketers.

His research recommendations for improved safety for cricket helmets even saw the Sky News team come to NMMU to put together a news piece on his research. He was proud of that one and the benefits that it might yield.

In fact, he spent the bulk of his working life endeavouring to highlight the benefits of sport. NMMU’s fitness and aquatic centre was mainly his doing, as was the university’s success in the Varsity Cup and Varsity Sport competitions.

He’d happily remind us that while NMMU might now finish at the top of the various contests, “we are the only university to participate in all the sporting disciplines offered”. (Hockey for men and women, rugby sevens, volleyball, rugby, netball and football – and now T20 cricket).

He was, to quote NMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Derrick Swartz, “professional, passionate and a visionary” in serving the university.

Yes, he was. But he was also a stickler for getting things right; a firm taskmaster; a disciplinarian; a mine of sporting information; a loyal supporter and he had a wonderful dry sense of humour. He travelled extensively; hosted various conferences and workshops, including a successful one he initiated with high schools in the city, and offered workshops around the globe on injury prevention.

But as much as he loved the game of cricket and the benefits it brought (especially to NMMU whose cricket team performs exceptionally well year in and year out), his biggest love was his family.

He was so incredibly proud of his wife, Sandy, a go-getter in her own right, and his three children, Charles, Lauren and Malcolm, who are all successful young adults. I’ve not met any of them, but I feel I know them because of the stories Richard shared.

He was so proud of their achievements and couldn’t wait to spend more time with them during his 2014 sabbatical year, and later retire to the farm near Pearston that his son had bought them.

Dr Stretch your innings ended too soon.

But your game, cricket, and your legacy will live on in the lives of those you touched, but more especially in your children who have each inherited your drive, passion and commitment to serve others.

• The funeral service will be held at Walmer Methodist Church, Main Road, Walmer, on Friday 31 October at 11am.