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Preparing for the Future: How a Commercial and Contract Law Course Is Helping This Sports Star
“Sport is very short term. It’s 10, 15 years max. And then what happens after that? If you’re not proactive throughout those years that you’re earning well and you’re doing well, then you’re gonna be stuck and you’re gonna be left behind.”
Ryan Oosthuizen, South African Sevens Rugby Player and LLB Student
Ryan Oosthuizen’s rugby career didn’t have the most auspicious beginning. As he claims, he only started playing to spend time with his friends. “It just happened that I was quite good at it.” An understatement for someone who helped take the South African Sevens Rugby team to World Series victory in 2017. However, that’s possibly the last time he wasn’t actively thinking about his future career path.
How online learning can prepare you for the future
When Ryan completed the Commercial and Contract Law online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT), he was purposefully growing his already impressive CV. That’s because, as well as his full-time rugby career, Ryan is also doing a four-year LLB degree online. So, already a convert of online learning, because of his busy schedule, a short course made sense. “The online short course that UCT provided furthered my contract and commercial law knowledge and is something I can add to my CV,” he explains. Recognizing how it could complement his degree, the course provided a practical element into how to draft contracts and lease agreements, and what faults to look out for. A true lifelong learner, he says, “We should never be complacent with what we know. The world is ever evolving.”
Using online learning to help yourself and those around you
Ryan recognizes how lucky he is. As he says, “At the moment I’m fortunate enough to be earning a living through playing rugby.” However, he’s not resting on his laurels. “What motivates me is to be better every day, not to be complacent, to learn every day, to be a better self. And to help the people around me.” His drive to look after his loved ones grew from a misfortune many families will be familiar with. When Ryan was still in high school, his father was unfairly dismissed from his job and the family didn’t have the funds to appoint a lawyer to fight his case. That incident was the catalyst that made Ryan focus on his future, “I started researching what I could do and how to become a lawyer.”
Advice to prospective students: be proactive rather than reactive
“The trap a lot of people fall into is that they live in the now and they don’t think about the future. Rather be proactive than reactive.” Ryan is an advocate for education and learning, prioritizing time for his studies both through online universities and short courses. His advice to prospective students?
“Just do it. It will definitely be beneficial towards your career. Make time, whatever time you have available, dedicate it to your studies. Online short courses are an amazing thing. Utilize them.”
Gain practical skills in drafting legal contracts and commercial agreements