Latest news with #SouthAfricanSchoolsNetball
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Netball prodigy off to provincials
With her eyes set on the ultimate goal – to one day play for the U21 SPAR Baby Proteas – Khumo Segopolo is ready to take on the challenge, as she has been selected for the Gauteng team to participate in the South African Schools Netball (SASN) All Ages Netball Tournament hosted at Hoërskool EG Jansen in June. Khumo recently made her debut as a junior player for the Southern Gauteng Netball Team at the Inter-Provincial (IPT) Indoor Netball Tournament in Cape Town in April, alongside some of the best action netball players in the country in the Junior League Montague. Her journey as a junior in such a high-performance category makes her a player to keep your eyes on. Also read: Netball starlet triumphs at provincial tournament Khumo shared that starting to play at the age of 11, she was fortunate to have a mother who has experience as a provincial and national player who assisted her with extra training sessions outside of her normal practices. She adds that she feels most confident playing as a goal attack (GA), as she knows that this position plays a crucial role in the attacking third, often working together with the goal shooter to create effective offensive plays. The future looks bright for young Khumo as her eyes are set on representing South Africa in the 2026 Emirates Dubai 7's Netball Tournament for the junior Proteas team. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Hoërskool Dinamika netball star rising through the ranks
From the moment she started playing netball in Grade R; Chelsea Axsel knew she had found her passion. With a strong love for the game and a hardworking spirit, she's been growing her talent ever since. Now only 16, the talented Hoërskool Dinamika learner is already making a name for herself in South African netball. Captaining her school team with pride, Chelsea has grown through every tournament, pass and challenge. Whether she's making game-winning interceptions or encouraging her teammates, her presence is undeniable. Chelsea has worked to rise through the ranks. As a standout player at Hoërskool Dinamika, she has competed in high profile tournaments like Gauteng Schools Netball, South African Schools Netball, and the Fast 5 national tournament, where her team placed second in the country in 2024. In their recent tour to Paarl, they won seven out of eight matches against Cape Town's top schools. Chelsea also captained the invitational squad representing South Africa at the HSBC U19 Youth Cup in Dubai in November 2024, where they finished in the international top four. This was the moment that solidified her ambition: 'My dream is to represent South Africa as a Protea player, starting with climbing the ranks as a provincial player,' Chelsea shared. Behind her success is a busy schedule and a team of supportive mentors. 'My days are full,' she said. 'I attend school until 14:00 every day, then I have school netball practice until 16:00. Thursdays are for league matches and Fridays and some Saturdays are served for private coaching or other activities.' Her private coach, Candice Allen, an former Jaguars player and owner of Pivot Netball Academy is a major influence. 'Candice inspires me. She shares her knowledge, makes me feel seen and believes in me even when I don't. I'm also blessed with a strong school coach, coach Karen Bezuidenhout, who pushes us to always give our best. She works us hard and holds us accountable for our success.' Candice praised Chelsea's perseverance: 'I've never been more proud of her. She's faced challenges that could have derailed her, like her Achilles tendon injury in grade Eight, but she never gave up. She works hard and grows in every part of her life. She's not only one of my best players but one of the strongest people I know.' Despite the physical toll of her sport, including that Achilles injury she sustained during the Affies tournament, Chelsea has stayed disciplined and focused on recovery while still excelling on the court. Off the court, she's just as involved. As the eldest of four siblings, Chelsea is a natural leader at home. At school, she thrives academically and socially. She's a top 10 academic achiever who loves biology and enjoys physical and hands on subjects. She also participates in athletics, girls' cricket, public speaking and fashion shows. Earlier this year, she co-founded Namies FM, the school's radio station, which she now hosts. Chelsea enjoys baking, watching rugby and netball and listening to music in her spare time. But most importantly, she's surrounded by unwavering family support. 'As a family, we stand firmly behind Chelsea's dream,' says her mother, Jenna Axsel. 'We know it's not easy, but we're there for her-driving her to matches, helping with schoolwork and cheering her on. Chelsea may be chasing her dream, but she knows she's never doing it alone.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Talented twins make Gauteng netball team
Constantia Kloof — Dynamic duo Gracia and Michelle Ojiadazie were selected for the U13 Gauteng Netball Team and will participate in the upcoming South African Schools Netball (SASN) All Ages Tournament at Hoërskool EG Jansen at the end of June. The senior players have proved themselves on the court, competing against other players in both the D12 district and inter-district trials where they competed outside their comfort zone. ALSO READ: Development rugby takes centre stage at Saints SportsFest day 4 The head coach at Constantia Kloof Primary School, Adri van Wyk, praised the girls for their consistency during the trials, practice sessions and league matches, also adding that the girls have the potential to play in a higher performance league. 'I started coaching the girls at U11, and I have seen so much progress, both physically and mentally. 'There is still a lot of work to be done, but with the current league matches taking place and added training sessions for the Gauteng team, this can help them prepare for the upcoming tournament. Their teammates are so excited and super supportive,' said Adri. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
