About Ursula

Hello! My name is Ursula and I’m a health coach in training.
Recently I worked with a client who was never sporty at school. She believed she was never any good at anything active. Now in her late 40’s she wants to change how self-conscious she feels about her body. ‘No more excuses, because in the context of Covid the stakes are high and body-care and exercise is the piece that is missing’ she said.

And another client is a triathlete trying to keep training, while there are currently no races scheduled. He wants to build up his mental toughness and is also making big changes to make getting good sleep a priority.

I know what this is like… When you want to change and you want something better for yourself. I wanted to be all I could be and I set out on an unforgettable path to be who I wanted to be in this world.

I made it to the final of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the Women’s Lightweight Double Scull representing South Africa. It was a culmination of 10+ years of dedication to one purpose: Gold. Along the way, I broke the World Record on the Concept 2 Rowing machine for 2000m in the Lightweight women category.

Now you might be thinking: How is an Olympic athlete going to understand me? Firstly, we all want to implement lifestyle changes to become the person we want to be. Sticking to a routine, creating good sleep habits, consistently training and eating well are our shared starting blocks. Then, like you, I had so much self-doubt. I kept working on my resilience to ‘weather the weather’ and by changing my self-talk, I gained motivation to overcome setbacks, handle the pressure and do it day in, and day out. I did all I could to keep my mind razer-sharp, limit the distractions, and through these health changes was able to concentrate and quickly learn this technical sport that balances skinny boats on the water. I started rowing as an older adult, challenging all the critics telling me I’m too old.

That made me go back to a childhood dream when I first saw Zola Budd run, I wanted to go to the Olympic Games. But as I grew up, I thought that was silly like when you hear a four-year-old say I want to be an astronaut… – Grobler speaks on her reason for pursuing her rowing career later in her life. Interview by Girls in Sport about my rowing journey

How can I help you find your purpose-mountain and prepare you for your summit?

So many negative feedbacks may have told you, you can’t do this. Or that tomorrow is when you will do something about it.
I would like to go on your journey with you. I would like to help put platforms in place for you to jump as high as you want. If you are stuck, I can pull you out. If you want to go faster, I can push you a little more, and if there are setbacks, we can experiment with something else and help you bounce back quicker. Coaches did that for me, and it led me to the Olympics. Now, what would be possible for you?

I lived and trained in many countries giving me an acceptance and a world view of differences. I started eating Paleo in 2003 for performance and weight control gaining incredible insight into dieting and sustainability. Eating paleo also cultivated a lifestyle of caring for the outdoors, a better earth, awareness of our carbon footprints and all things go-green!

Grit, Balance and Optimal Health are not just for the elites, top-bosses, high-performers, and Olympic Athletes. Schedule a free discovery session with me where we can meet, just casually chat, find out more about Health Coaching and ask any questions before you feel obligated for anything. It is easy to schedule to see if this can help you be your true and best self.