NMMU Madibaz head coach Graeme Harrison is a Port Elizabeth native and is an astute soccer tactician with an eye for player development.

 

The 51-year-old was always going to have a career in sports as he grew up in a sports mad family. 

 

Besides football, he was involved in a number of other different sports in his youth. He earned his provincial colours for Eastern Province in football, cricket, hockey and athletics.

 

It was in football where Harrison found his calling after school and was good enough to play at a semi-professional level.

 

Harrison's playing career came to an end at the age 28 after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, but this did not destroy his passion for the sport in any way.

 

Instead he decided to pursue a career in coaching and former UWC head coach Boebie Williams too him under his wing.  Harrison mainly focussed on building youth structures in PE.

 

It was at Saints Football club in PE where Harrison got his big chance and he proved a success when he guided the team to a NASB Easter Tournament title in 2006. Saints finished runners up on two occasions in the Castle League and never finished below fourth on the standings under Harrison's tutelage.

 

After his success with Saints, Harrison then joined Bay Stars for the 2011/2012 season and his contribution proved to be a success after the team ended second in the Vodacom League.

 

Harrison then took over the reins at NMMU in 2014 with the team just missing out on a play-off in Varsity Football after finishing fifth.

 

This year’s tournament proved to be a difficult one for Harrison with NMMU finishing a disappointing seventh on the standings with only one win to their name.

 

Although NMMU missed out on qualification for next year's Varsity Football tournament, Harrison is keen use the time to build a squad capable of challenging for the title in 2017.