Cody Kock: building for Junior Worlds, one clean skate at a time

Ask Cody Kock what changed this past season and he will not point to a single jump. He will talk about time, learning to manage it and the stress that goes along with studying Grade 12 while chasing scores on the ice.

“The biggest lesson I have learned was time management,” he says. “I have also been able to manage stress and self-doubt. Learning how to manage my time has helped me prepare better for my Grade 12 year and final exams, while also training and preparing for competitions.”

The results have been visible. At Cape Inter-Provincials 2025, Cody ticked off a milestone by qualifying to skate Senior Men at Nationals 2026. The next target sits on the international calendar. “My main goal for this season is to qualify for Junior Worlds and be able to compete at the Junior World Championship in Estonia in 2026,” he says. “I will compete in Copenhagen in January 2026 to achieve that score.”

The path to those numbers is as practical as it sounds. “Mentally, I am learning how to cope with stress at the competitions. I have realised that this is a barrier for me,” Cody says. “I am doing gym for more strength and cardio to build my stamina and fitness. I am also working on my consistency with the triple jumps.”

His day-to-day structure tightened after a pivotal decision in 2024. Cody left South Africa for training in the United States with head coach Douglas Haw, while continuing to work with home coach Vage Evetts when he was back in Cape Town. “Training with Mr Haw has been a positive and rewarding experience. I am learning how to refine my triple jumps. I have also learned triple triple combinations,” he says. “When I am home in South Africa, I have Vage Evetts who believes in me and I have Mr Haw who believes in me just as much. The one thing that training abroad has taught me is to be independent and to make more decisions on my own.”

Haw’s first impression came during a two-week workshop at The Ice Station in June 2024. “Cody first caught my eye by his keenness to learn and his attentiveness while I was giving instructions. There was pure joy on Cody’s face when he was on the ice. I noticed it in a heartbeat. I’ve never seen a skater look like that while skating,” says Haw, a USA Master Coach and Canadian Olympic NCCP 5 Coach who has served as a trustee of Ice Theatre of New York and as a governor of the Professional Skaters Association. “He was a total sponge and soaked up whatever I was saying. Then, when he tried to perform under my direction, he followed my instructions explicitly. In forty-six years of coaching, this is an exceptional quality of a skater.”

What followed reinforced that view. “Cody thrives on instruction. He listens, processes it and takes it all in to use what I’m saying,” Haw says. “He brings a positive attitude and energy to the rink every day. There is no task too great to accomplish and never a lack of enthusiasm. I have coached world champions and he has the same mindset as them.” On progression, Haw is direct. “With the current trajectory that Cody is on, the sky is the limit. He learned four new triples and triple-triple combinations with only six months of coaching. Each time he competes, he improves his scores. I am so proud of him. At this time, the future is very bright. I predict that Cody will represent South Africa at the 2030 Winter Olympics, barring any issues. Cody is definitely a man on a mission.”

The foundation for that mission runs back to a Sunday morning visit to The Ice Station. “At the tender age of six, he joined the Black Panthers Figure Skating Club and competed for Western Province under the guidance of his coach, Vage Evetts,” say Cody’s parents Burchell and Heidi. “Throughout his time, Cody has achieved numerous victories in Juvenile, Basic Novice, Novice and Junior sections, including club competitions, Western Province competitions and Nationals. Cody shows continuous improvement in every competition he attends, consistently surpassing his personal best performances.”

None of this has dulled the simple joy that got him onto the ice in the first place. “I love being on the ice,” Cody says. “I love the support from other competitors and teammates. What motivates me is to do better than what I did in the last competition and better what I did in the last practice. I love growing in this sport and making myself, parents and coach happy with every skate I do.”

He also offers a message for skaters coming up behind him. “Skate because you love the sport and do it with passion. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you and enjoy this journey.” If he could advise his younger self, he would keep it honest. “Do not expect immediate results. It takes consistent work to accomplish my goals.”

Cody has a strong support team and a clear, detailed, and structured training plan. Critically, he needs financial assistance. The high cost of skates, ice fees, competition fees, lessons, choreography, costumes, extensive travel and accommodation are all putting Cody and his family under pressure. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Cody Kock and his coach Doug Haw.