Glen Bentley during UWC’s Fast and Flat event in 2017. Image: UWC

In a quiet corner office at the UWC Sports Stadium, surrounded by the sounds of dreams being chased on the track, sits a man whose impact on student-athletes extends far beyond performance metrics or podium finishes.

Glen Bentley, Manager of Support Services & Athletics at UWC Sport, is more than just an administrator - he is a father figure to many.

Since joining the University of the Western Cape (UWC) on 3 January 2009, Bentley has been dedicated to building athletes, their character, confidence, and sense of community. While his job title may have changed over the years, his role in the lives of countless students has remained deeply personal and profoundly transformative.

“I started as the aquatics sport administrator, which meant I was responsible for managing the UWC Aquatic Centre and the swimming club,” he recalled.

But it wasn’t long before his love for sport - especially running - and his deep-rooted compassion for others saw him become a mentor, coach, and for many, the father they needed.

Glen Bentley with his teenage daughter, Courtney.

In the early 2010s, he started weekend training camps and festive-season workouts. It was not just about fitness but about structure, nourishment, and staying safe in an environment where he could guide their habits on and off the track.

“We needed to prepare for competitions. Training would start as early as 5 am, even during December,” Bentley explained. “So, I hosted them at my house. My wife would prepare meals like the ones they’d get at elite training camps. Only later did they realise how privileged they were to have that exposure.”

With carefully planned sessions, home-cooked meals, team-building activities, and even chores, Bentley offered many of his athletes the stability and care they needed. 

“They became part of my family,” his voice thick with emotion. “They were big brothers to my daughter, Courtney. Even today, when there’s a birthday, she’ll get a call from them.” Glen Bentley with his teenage daughter, Courtney.

Courtney is Glen Bentley’s only daughter, and the bond she shared with the students who stayed in their home formed part of the family-like atmosphere that Bentley intentionally built around his teams.

Among those he’s mentored is Anthony Timoteus, one of UWC’s most decorated runners and a multiple Fast and Flat champion. But behind the personal bests and trophies lay hardship that Bentley only discovered later.

“One winter, Anthony was training with me, and I found out - only afterwards - that his family didn’t have electricity. He was bathing in cold water every day, and he never once complained. That kind of resilience... it still touches me deeply.”

Timoteus’s story is not unique. Many of Bentley’s athletes came from complex backgrounds - poverty, broken homes, instability - and each time, he stepped in by opening his home, heart and life.

Some of the student runners with Glen Bentley on his birthday. They personally baked and iced the cake. (L-R ) Vincent Fortuin, Gilbert Korir, Anthony Timoteus, Marvin Buys, Fabian Slinger.

Bentley’s late wife, Fiona, who passed away in 2018, was integral to his mission. She not only prepared meals but also taught the athletes essential life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and self-discipline. Her influence runs deep in his story and the lives of the students they supported together.

“When she was hospitalised, I had to leave Courtney with the runners. They made sure she did her homework. They looked after her like family. I didn’t even know how to cook or use the washing machine, but Anthony did. Fiona had taught him.”

Her passing changed everything. But in his darkest hour, it was the very students he had poured so much into who became his strength.

Bentley is the epitome of what UWC stands for. He lives the UWC Way - an ethos grounded in compassion, service, and the belief that when we lift others, we rise together. He continues to "pay it forward," not just in words, but through consistent action.

“At UWC, you’ve got people who work at the institution who are parents, just like other universities. But if I look at myself, I look at my colleagues - and I mean colleagues across the university - it’s people who have a heart for young people. Their hearts go out to students. They associate with them and understand their challenges because of where most of us come from.” 

He recounted the words of a student, Gianno Peddy, who transferred from another institution: “He said to me, ‘I can’t believe what UWC staff members are offering. You have much less in terms of resources, but you provide an environment where students feel like they have a second parent.”

This Father’s Day, we honour Glen Bentley - not just for the miles he’s run or the athletes he has coached, but for the lives he’s touched. He is a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful legacy is not found in medals or titles, but in the hearts of those who call you “coach,” “mentor,” and “dad.”