Susan Wessels is a former double hockey Olympian currently serving as Second Master at leading UK independent co-educational boarding school, Marlborough College.
Susan has worked in education since 2004 and has been employed by three independent schools in the UK during that time, taking up senior leadership roles in all the establishments where she has worked. She possesses unique transferable skills acquired during her international hockey career and uses her sporting experience to support, encourage and inspire students, engaging in speaking, mentoring and coaching events.
Susan joined Marlborough from Framlingham College where she was Senior Deputy Head for over a decade. Previously, she held the role of Governor for Welfare at St John’s College School in Cambridge.
She commenced her teaching career at The King’s School, Canterbury, where she taught Physical Education and Geography and was Head of Girls’ Games. For the last four of her eight-year tenure, she also acted as a Housemistress.
Susan represented South Africa as an International Field Hockey Player for nearly...Susan Wessels is a former double hockey Olympian currently serving as Second Master at leading UK independent co-educational boarding school, Marlborough College.
Susan has worked in education since 2004 and has been employed by three independent schools in the UK during that time, taking up senior leadership roles in all the establishments where she has worked. She possesses unique transferable skills acquired during her international hockey career and uses her sporting experience to support, encourage and inspire students, engaging in speaking, mentoring and coaching events.
Susan joined Marlborough from Framlingham College where she was Senior Deputy Head for over a decade. Previously, she held the role of Governor for Welfare at St John’s College School in Cambridge.
She commenced her teaching career at The King’s School, Canterbury, where she taught Physical Education and Geography and was Head of Girls’ Games. For the last four of her eight-year tenure, she also acted as a Housemistress.
Susan represented South Africa as an International Field Hockey Player for nearly ten years, playing in 146 international hockey matches and captaining the side for two years. She competed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and again in the Athens Olympics in 2004 – this time as captain of South Africa. Susan also took part in two World Cups, namely Holland 1998 and Perth 2002. Her international career also included the Commonwealth Games both in Malaysia 1998 and Manchester 2002 as well as the All-Africa Games held in Harare in 1995 and Abuja in 2003 respectively.
A Founding Member of the South African Olympians Association, Susan serves on the Executive Committee of SAOA.
Having studied Sport & Exercise Technology in her birth country of South Africa, Susan first graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Geography and then achieved her MA in Educational Leadership and Management, both qualifications from the Open University.moreless
Framlingham College is an independent co-educational boarding and day school set in rural Suffolk, with pupils in the age range from three to eighteen.
Susan started her teaching career at Canterbury-based independent co-educational boarding school, The King's School. She taught Geography and PE, served as Head of Girls Games and led as Housemistress for four years.
South African Hockey Association
International Field Hockey Player
Oct 1995
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Jan 2005
Susan represented the South African Women's Hockey Team for nearly a decade, stepping up to captain the side over a two-year period. She is a double Olympian, competing in the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Games.
Located in the heart of London, St Paul's Cathedral School is a co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 13. The school is also a residential choir school for the boy choristers of St Paul's Cathedral.
The South African Red Cross Society is affiliated to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and an official auxiliary to the South African government in relation to the provision of Humanitarian Aid.
Susan used her Olympic hockey experience to encourage and inspire scholars to achieve their goals and develop mental toughness during the Covid pandemic.
Susan reflects on her decade of international sport, and explains how the ups and downs of the experience has prepared her to work with young people in education.
Susan is a Founding Member of the South African Olympians Association or SAOA (a chapter of the World Olympians Association) and serves as a member of the Executive Committee. SAOA runs events and projects to support and inspire Olympians and promote meaningful and positive contributions to communities, focusing on the youth of South Africa.
Susan represented South Africa as an International Field Hockey Player, competing in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and again in the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Susan contributed to this practical online session to discuss tips, tricks and ways of making Extracurricular Activities work in Independent Schools. This session formed part of the Working in Independent Schools series, funded by the IAPS.
