Having walked the hard road, Burger Nel is big on building resilience through sport.

When Sipho Moniwa went to St Stithians College on a bursary at the start of Grade 8, it was with the loving support of a poor community.

For the past 16 years, Mary South has made jerseys and beanies for the children in communities neighbouring Hilton College.

It’s easier to find a Crowned Eagle’s egg on Hilton College’s estate than it is to find James Walters (1991, Falcon).

“After you’ve played a round with somebody, you get a good sense of who they are and what they’re about," says Guy Harcourt.

When he’s not at Hilton College, home for Wim Ebersöhn is a remote and rugged reserve in northern Mozambique, a 17-hour drive from the nearest town.

Caleb Venter has lived at Hilton College since he was two. Having grown up on campus, Caleb (now in grade 12) not only knows the property backwards, he knows the heart of the place.

Playing dad to 90-odd teenage boys is not for everyone, but Hilton College Maths teacher and McKenzie housemaster Lionel Julius takes it in his stride.

Akhona Kunene’s parents are hard-working people. His dad, Greg, is in construction, and his mom, Nonjabulo, is a nurse. Neither have permanent work.