Legendary Springbok Bryan Habana sits on the humble concrete stands of a schoolboy rugby stadium.
For a player who is lauded as one of the finest to ever grace a rugby field, he is the embodiment of a boy who once had big dreams and then became the man who lived them. Now, as a father to two young boys, Habana has a new dream he’s chasing.
It’s a dream that will take him back to Loftus Versfeld on 5 March and to a field where he made some of his greatest rugby memories. This time, he’ll be making new memories with his sons at the Vodacom RED Father and Son Campout.
When you live life as fast as Habana in a world of business and a myriad of other commitments, it can all go by in a blur. But Habana believes implicitly in the philosophy that being a good dad means being a dad who is present in his sons’ lives – not just for the memories and the bond this creates, but also for the fatherhood example it sets for his boys.
“In this world of business and of life happening at a rate of knots, I think to #BeThatDad is all about being present,” Habana says.
“There are so many things competing for our attention and keeping us busy that the ability to be present with your kids is incredibly important. Being that dad is all about being present and being an example of a good father. Hopefully, through this example, we can all as fathers raise good boys. It all starts with us as men.”
Habana will join a host of other dads at the Vodacom RED Father and Son Campout who are being intentional about spending time with their boys as they unplug from their roles in the world, and for a weekend become their boys’ whole worlds.
Watch the video below to find out more:
Camping in the tents on the main field at Loftus Versfeld provides the perfect opportunity for those meaningful conversations which Habana says are not only the cornerstone of fatherhood, but also the secret behind the success of every great team he’s played in.
“I was privileged to be led and inspired by so many incredible men in the successful teams I played in. The likes of John Smit, Heyneke Meyer, Peter de Villiers and Jake White. I was able to see how that leadership brought teams together, and how those men put certain elements in place for us as professional athletes to be successful. In every team I was in that became successful, communication was vital to that success.”
As a member of some of the most successful Vodacom Bulls teams in history and also of a Springbok team that provided some of the greatest moments in rugby history at Loftus Versfeld, Habana is excited to be returning to this theatre of dreams with his sons.
“For me to be able to share my experiences at Loftus with my sons is going to be very special. Loftus was very special to me throughout my rugby career. Hopefully it can inspire them in terms of their own dreams. Not just in terms of rugby, but just to start dreaming as big as they possibly can.”
And when his boys do tell their stories one day, including perhaps to their own children of what their father always told them, what does he think they’ll say?
“I’d hope my boys will tell their own kids one day that their dad told them to always enjoy every moment and live life to the fullest. To work hard, dream big, and enjoy yourself. And in all of this, to have a lot of respect for not only yourself, but also for those around you. As men we need to be good examples because how we lead our sons makes a massive difference to the next generation.”
As a Vodacom RED VIP client, if you want to join Habana and his sons at the Vodacom RED Father and Son Campout on 5-6 March 2022, then register on www.redrewards.co.za. Entries are open until Sunday, 13 February 2022.