The symposium was dedicated to Prof. P. Avis (1958-2006). Paul Avis was a professor of Sport Psychology in the Department of Sports, Recreation and Exercise Sciences at UWC. He was a committee member for the April 2006 conference Unlocking the potential of Sport for Youth Wellness and development” hosted by UWC/VLIR. Paul was diagnosed with cancer prior to this conference but, true to his character, he honoured his commitment as a conference committee member. In his youth Paul was a prodigious sports talent. He ultimately focused on tennis and became an international tennis star who represented SA at junior and senior levels including at Wimbledon. He dominated the SA tennis scene for several years and won every national tournament available including the SA closed and masters titles. After he retired from tennis he excelled in his psychology studies and became one of the few professors of sport psychology in SA. In his tennis career Paul faced and beat many formidable international opponent. The newspaper accounts speak of his quiet and relentless determination which earned him the nickname ‘lceman’. Paul faced his final opponent with the same unflinching courage that marked his remarkable tennis career. He eventually succumbed in the final set in December 2006 after an epic battle. The University dedicated the symposium to his memory