The son of two teacher-coaches reflects on growing up at Weston Agricultural College situated on a 3000 acre farm near the town of Mooi River in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands South Africa.
Gordon Paterson reflects on life in the Midlands from the late 1950s, when many young farmers had returned from war to forge a future of peace and prosperity. The influence of his immediate family was formidable in forming perceptions about the values and principles upon which a successful life should be founded. Further influences were the Zulu people, the Weston community and people who resided in the district of the little town of Mooi River. Gordon also examines the impact of horses, boarding school life and south coast holidays on his formative years. He provides an account of the support he received from Old Westonians living in the South Pacific who made outstanding contributions to Agriculture in their adopted country. His final chapter delves into Donald Paterson’s rugby coaching over 30 years; 580 matches; drawing on Donald’s journals and additionally, the perceptions of Weston rugby players and captains, in an attempt to discover what lay at the heart of his coaching and educating adolescent school boys.