Author: vndudane

The South African Schools Hockey Council (SASHOC) is preparing to host its first-ever Indoor National Hockey Tournament.

It takes place in KwaZulu-Natal, from 1-4 December.

The event promises to be a milestone moment for the development of indoor hockey in the country, giving young athletes a platform to showcase their skill and provincial pride on a national stage.

SASHOC Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairperson Wayne Marsden said the introduction of the event is the culmination of years of planning and commitment from the hockey community.

“SASHOC has spoken about hosting indoor hockey national events for the past three years and finally took the plunge to turn it into a reality this year,” Marsden explained.

“This tournament will give many of our schoolchildren the opportunity to officially represent their province or region on the indoor courts. It’s a proud moment, not only for the players but for everyone who has worked to grow the game.”

Marsden said the LOC has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure that the competition meets the highest standards, both on and off the court.

“The LOC has been hard at work to make sure these events are successful for the players, team staff, and supporters,” he said.

“All games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools App, giving families and fans across the country a chance to follow the action in real time.”

The SASHOC Indoor National Tournament will bring together players from u14 up to the u18 age group, with the opportunity for the participating teams to make history as the first national indoor champions in their age groups.

The matches will be played at some of KwaZulu-Natal’s premier indoor venues: The SportsZone (Kearsney College), Hillcrest High, Kloof High, and iKhwezi Centre (Thomas More College)

Marsden emphasised that the tournament is merely the beginning of a long-term vision to grow indoor hockey across schools and provinces.

“The plan is to grow the SASHOC indoor hockey national events in the future,” he said. “This is about creating more opportunities for players, coaches, and officials – building a sustainable pathway from school to elite level.

“We want to ensure that indoor hockey becomes a strong and exciting part of our sporting calendar.”

South African indoor hockey is in a healthy space. The national women’s team finished ninth at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Croatia in February.

The men’s team, meanwhile, medalled for the first time, finishing third overall after edging out Belgium 6-5 to claim bronze. SACS’ star Litha Kraai was a member of the history-making squad.

FIXTURES

Monday, 1 December

u18 Girls

08:00 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Inland B
09:00 – Northerns vs Southerns
10:00 – KZN Inland A vs KZN Coastal B
14:00 – Northerns vs KZN Inland B
15:00 – KZN Inland A vs Southerns
16:00 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Coastal B

u18 Boys

11:00 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Invitational
12:00 – Northerns A vs Southern Free State
13:00 – Southerns vs KZN Coastal B
18:00 – Northerns A vs KZN Invitational
19:00 – Southerns vs Southern Free State
20:00 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Coastal B

Day 2 – Tuesday, 2 December

u18 Girls

08:00 – Southerns vs KZN Coastal B
09:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Northerns
10:00 – KZN Inland A vs KZN Inland B
14:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Southerns
15:00 – KZN Coastal B vs KZN Inland B
16:00 – KZN Inland A vs Northerns

u18 Boys

11:00 – Southern Free State vs KZN Coastal B
12:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Northerns A
13:00 – Southerns vs KZN Invitational
17:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Southern Free State
18:00 – KZN Coastal B vs KZN Invitational
19:00 – Southerns vs Northerns A

Wednesday, 3 December

u18 Girls

11:00 – Southerns vs KZN Inland B
12:00 – Northerns vs KZN Coastal B
13:00 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Inland A
17:15 – Semi-Final 1 (1st vs 4th)
17:45 – Semi-Final 2 (2nd vs 3rd)

u18 Boys

08:00 – Southern Free State vs KZN Invitational
09:00 – Northerns A vs KZN Coastal B
10:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Southerns
16:00 – Semi-Final 1 (1st vs 4th)
18:30 – Semi-Final 2 (2nd vs 3rd)

Thursday, 4 December

08:00 – u18 Boys’ bronze playoff
09:15 – u18 Girls’ bronze playoff
10:30 – u18 Girls’ final
11:45 – u18 Boys’ final

Central Gauteng has announced its u19A and u19B boys’ teams for the forthcoming Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), which takes place in the City of Gold from 6 to 10 December.

The u19A team, coached by Jon-Marc de Carvalho, assisted by Thabang Madi, and with Zahraa Bodiat as the manager, features a blend of experience, leadership, and youthful energy.

The side includes players from St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College, St Stithians College, Jeppe High School for Boys, and King Edward VII (KES).

The u19B team will, meanwhile, be led by Head Coach Thabang Madi, with De Carvalho serving as his assistant, and Bodiat looking after the managerial duties.

Reflecting on the teams’ build-up and preparations, Madi expressed his excitement about working within the Central Gauteng setup and highlighted the importance of teamwork, commitment, and joy in the game.

“It’s not my first time being part of the coaching team,” he said. “I’ve been involved with the u19 setup before, and now I’m also part of the u18s. For me, it’s another great opportunity to work with Jon-Marc, who is a proper, well-seasoned player and coach. It’s super-awesome to be part of that again because of the wealth of knowledge and experience he brings.”

Madi also shed light on the teams’ preparations for the interprovincial tournament. “The boys are currently in the middle of exams, especially the matric guys. We have about six of them in the A team, but we also have a large number of Grade 11s in the B side. The boys have been training twice a week since November,” he explained.

“We haven’t had many formal games in camp, but throughout the year we’ve been training consistently as school squads. Generally speaking, the boys have been putting in a hard shift this week, and they are super keen. That’s a good sign. It shows everyone’s committed to making sure we are as successful as possible at the IPT.”

Madi shared that maintaining passion for the sport remains central to the coaching and managerial crew’s approach. “The guys have put in a lot of work already, and we’ll keep building over the next five weeks,” he said. “But it’s important to remember why we do this. We play because we love the sport.

“As much as we want to compete and push to win, the biggest thing is to keep the joy in our hearts. That enjoyment will come through working hard as a team and doing it for one another, and for Central Gauteng.”

TEAMS

u19A Boys

Erik Arwidi (St David’s), Chris Chapman (St John’s), Fu-Nam Chen (St John’s), James Crick (St Stithians), Danilo Giuricich (St David’s), Cooper Haworth (St David’s), Aiden Khoury (Jeppe Boys), Connor McJannet (St David’s), Simon Mussett (St John’s), Tyler Mwekassa (King Edward VII), Nicholas Searle (St John”s), Dylan Wiggill (St David’s), Harry Wilkins (King Edward VII), Declan Wood (St Stithians).

Head Coach: Jon-Marc de Carvalho
Assistant Coach: Thabang Madi
Manager: Zahraa Bodiat

u19B

Gui-Nam Chen (St John’s), Matthew Cross (St Stithians), Dylan Gander (St David’s), Samuel Gomes (St John’s), David Latilla-Campbell (St David’s), Mukhetwa Maemu (Jeppe Boys), Ryan Morley (King Edward VII), Troy Pasqualle (St Stithians), Matthew Peacock (St David’s), Luke Shipway (St John’s), Kian Sing (St Stithians), Oskar Stahljans (St John’s), Craig Toet (King Edward VII), Roan Wessels (St Peter’s)

Head Coach: Thabang Madi
Assistant Coach: Jon-Marc de Carvalho
Manager: Zahraa Bodiat

Gauteng has unveiled a powerful girls’ team to represent the province at the upcoming Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), which will take place in Johannesburg from 6 to 10 December 2025.

The prestigious national event assembles the country’s top young water polo players for five days of high-intensity competition, camaraderie, and provincial pride. It’s one of the highlights of the school sporting calendar, offering players a platform to showcase their talent and stake a claim for national selection.

This year’s Gauteng squad shows a blend of experienced players and rising stars, with several returning from last year’s campaign. The team announcement has already generated excitement within the local water polo community, which has seen significant growth and success over the past few seasons.

Roedean School SA, which has enjoyed a great season this year in both community development events and school tournaments, is leading the U19A team selection with five players named in the provincial lineup. St Stithians College, boasting another powerhouse programme, contributes four players to the squad. Both schools have produced several players who have gone on to represent South Africa at the youth level.

The U19A side, led by head coach Kelsey Thomson, features a powerful combination of attacking and defensive ability. With the likes of Taylor Billett and Gabriella Morrell from Roedean, Emily Carle and Tori Tanner-Ellis from St Stithians, and Ziyanda Tshabalala, who was in the B team last year and adds speed and precision in the A side, the team is expected to be one of the top contenders at this year’s tournament.

Meanwhile, the U19B team, coached by Siyabonga Guzana, brings together a promising group of young players eager to prove themselves on the national stage. The depth of talent within the province is evident, with several schools, including Crawford Lonehill, Beaulieu College, and Reddam House Bedfordview, well represented. The team’s balanced roster features players with solid tournament experience and exciting new prospects ready to make their mark.

With established players such as Ané du Plessis, Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi, and Danielle Sassenberg, Gauteng’s B team promises to be competitive, offering a glimpse into the future of the province’s water polo pipeline.

U19A Girls

Taylor Billett (Roedean), Jenna Blaauw (St Mary’s), Emily Carle (St Stithians), Lucy Davis (Kingsmead), Anastasia Hambakis (Reddam Bedfordview), Isabella Imbriolo (St Stithians), Julia Joseph (St Mary’s), Gabriella Morrell (Roedean), Cadha Mosehla (St Stithians), Emma Pelicot (Roedean), Caitlin Scrimgeour (Reddam Bedfordview), Amy Stubbs (Roedean), Tori Tanner-Ellis (St Stithians), Ziyanda Tshabalala (Roedean)

Head Coach: Kelsey Thomson, Assistant Coach: Oluchi McMurray, Manager: Caitlyn O’Shaughnessy

U19B
Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi (Roedean), India-Rose Cope (Crawford Lonehill), Ané du Plessis (Roedean), Esme du Plessis (Roedean), Isabella Duffy (Beaulieu), Meegan Zomero (Crawford Lonehill), Mia Duffy (Beaulieu), Ambrin McEwan (Roedean), Annabelle Morton (Reddam Bedfordview), Iminathi Njokwana (Crawford Lonehill), Rylee Rogers (Steyn City), Danielle Sassenberg (St Stithians), Anna Springer (St Stithians), Kathryn Thorburn (St Mary’s)

Head Coach: Siyabonga Guzana, Assistant Coach: Oluchi McMurray, Manager: Caitlyn O’Shaughnessy

The St Stithians Girls’ Water Polo Invitational concluded in dramatic fashion, with the hosts, St Stithians College, edging out St Anne’s Diocesan College 9–8 in a nail-biting final.

The title game carried an emotional edge, as Saints’ coach Megan Sileno, who was in charge at St Anne’s until the end of last year, faced her former team in a matchup that delivered dollops of intensity in a showdown between unbeaten sides.

St Stithians swept through Pool D with emphatic wins over Kingswood College (9–5), Rhenish Girls High (21–0), and Kingsmead College (17–1), before overcoming Durban Girls’ College (DGC) 10–6 in the pool decider.

In the knockout rounds, Saints was pushed to the limit by a familiar foe, Reddam House Bedfordview, but they pulled off a tight 6-5 win. Then, in the semi-finals, they showed tactical discipline in an 6-3 win over the defending champs, Roedean, to earn their place in the title decider.

St Anne’s put together a similarly impressive run to the final. Drawn in Pool B, arguably the toughest of them all, they topped their group with wins over Collegiate Girls’ High (11–2), Reddam House Constantia (7–5), St Peter’s College (12–5), and Reddam House Bedfordview (11–4).

In a tense quarterfinal, they edged out their KZN rivals, DGC, 6–5 before defeating Herschel Girls High 7–4 in a fiercely contested semifinal.

The final lived up to every expectation, delivering a thrilling contest between two skilful and resilient teams who refused to back down. St Stithians drew early momentum from a packed home crowd, but St Anne’s responded with composure and precision as the match ebbed and flowed, with the sides exchanging goals throughout.

In the end, it was Saints’ superior conversion rate and defensive discipline in the closing minutes that proved decisive, as they held off a late St Anne’s surge to seal a 9–8 victory and their sixth St Stithians Invitational crown.

The closing day also saw several standout performances in the classification matches. Herschel finished third after a dominant 8–4 win over Roedean, while Reddam House Constantia held off DGC 8–6 in another thriller.

Clarendon High School for Girls overcame DSG Makhanda 9–6, and St Mary’s Waverley claimed a 5–3 win over Pearson High. Reddam Bedfordview defeated Kingswood 6–4, Beaulieu College topped St Dominic’s 4–2, and Kingsmead earned a narrow 5–4 victory over Rhenish.

RESULTS

Kingsmead 5-4 Rhenish (19/20)
Crawford Lonehill 5-3 Woodridge (17/18)
Beaulieu College 4-2 St Dominic’s (15/16)
St Peter’s College 9-7 Collegiate (13/14)
Clarendon 9-6 DSG (11/12)
Pearson High 3-5 St Mary’s (9/10)
Reddam Bedfordview 6-4 Kingswood (7/8)
Reddam House Constantia 8-6 DGC (5/6)
Roedean School 4-8 Herschel (3/4)
St Stithians College 9-8 St Anne’s (1/2)

After three days of all-out action, the hosts, St Stithians College, and St Anne’s Diocesan College booked their places in Sunday’s final of the St Stithians Girls’ Water Polo Invitational.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

It will be a meeting of Saints, coached by Megan Sileno, and St Anne’s, the team she coached before moving to Johannesburg this year. Now, Cameron Wiid is in charge of the Hilton school’s side.

Both teams won through to the title game behind their strong defences, taking down some of the country’s top water polo-playing schools.

After sneaking by Durban Girls’ College (DGC) 6-5 in the quarterfinals, St Anne’s produced a composed and disciplined effort to defeat Herschel Girls School 7–4 in the semifinals, which brought to an end the Cape Town powerhouse’s unbeaten streak in the tournament.

The KwaZulu-Natal side started brightly, pressing Herschel from the opening whistle and taking control of the game early. Their sound defence also frustrated Herschel’s attack and led to them making costly mistakes.

St Stithians College continued their good run in their home waters, defeating the defending champions, Roedean, 6–3 in the second semifinal.

Earlier in the day, Saints exhibited resilience in the quarterfinals, where they edged past Reddam House Bedfordview 6–5 in a tense encounter. They had to dig deep in the closing minutes and struck from a penalty to secure their semifinal berth.

In the top crossover fixtures, Reddam House Constantia overcame Clarendon High School for Girls 4–2, showcasing their defensive grit, while Reddam Bedfordview held off a determined Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) Makhanda 4–2 in a tight, tactical contest.

Kingswood College delivered a standout performance, pulling off a strong 10–7 win over Pearson High, while Durban Girls’ College (DGC) impressed with a composed 5–1 victory over St Mary’s Waverley, displaying excellent teamwork.

In the lower crossover matches, St Peter’s College powered past Crawford Lonehill 11–2, Collegiate Girls’ High held off Woodridge College 4–2, and Beaulieu College earned a confident 7–3 win over Kingsmead College. In one of the day’s tightest clashes, St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls scored in the dying moments to claim a narrow 6-5 win over Rhenish Girls’ High.

The qualifiers added yet another level of drama as teams battled for places in the final placement rounds. In the top qualifiers, Pearson High got by Clarendon 8–7 in a see-saw encounter, while St Mary’s Waverley held their nerve to squeeze past DSG Makhanda 6–5.

In the middle qualifiers, St Peter’s triumphed 10–9 over Beaulieu College after a thrilling back-and-forth contest, and Collegiate claimed a hard-fought 7–5 victory over St Dominic’s.

After falling just short in the quarterfinals, Durban Girls’ College bounced back with a determined 6–4 victory over Kingswood College.

Meanwhile, Reddam House Constantia claimed bragging rights in the all-Reddam derby, outplaying Reddam Bedfordview 8–5. The Cape Town school’s attacking fluidity and the depth of their squad was to the fore in their win.

RESULTS

Top cross-over

Clarendon 2-4 Reddam Constantia
Reddam Bedfordview 4-2 DSG
Pearson 7-10 Kingswood
DGC 5-1 St Mary’s Waverley

Bottom cross-over

Crawford Lonehill 2-11 St Peter’s
Woodridge 2-4 Collegiate
Beaulieu 7-3 Kingsmead
St Dominic’s 6-5 Rhenish

Quarterfinals

Herschel 16-3 Kingswood
DGC 5-6 St Anne’s
Reddam Constantia 1-3 Roedean
St Stithians 6-5 Reddam Bedfordview

Bottom qualifier

Crawford Lonehill 5-4 Kingsmead
Woodridge 8-3 Rhenish

Top qualifier

Pearson 8-7 Clarendon
St Mary’s Waverley 6-5 DSG

Middle qualifier

Beaulieu 9-10 St Peter’s
Collegiate 7-5 St Dominic’s

Semifinal

St Anne’s 7-4 Herschel
St Stithians 6-3 Roedean

Placing qualifier

DGC 6-4 Kingswood
Reddam Bedfordview 5-8 Reddam Constantia

FIXTURES

Sunday, 19 October

Position 20-3
07:45 – Kingsmead vs Rhenish @Olympic South (19/20)
07:45 – Crawford Lonehill vs Woodridge @Olympic North (17/18)
07:45 – Beaulieu College vs St Dominic’s @Main Polo Pool (15/16)
09:15 – St Peter’s College vs Collegiate @Olympic South (13/14)
09:15 – Clarendon vs DSG @Olympic North (11/12)
09:15 – Pearson High vs St Mary’s Waverley @Main Polo Pool (9/10)
10:45 – Reddam Bedfordview vs Kingswood @Olympic South (7/8)
10:45 – Reddam House Constantia vs DGC @Olympic North (5/6)
10:45 – Roedean School vs Herschel @Main Polo Pool (3/4)

Final
12h30 – St Stithians College vs St Anne’s @Olympic Pool

Day two at the St Stithians Water Polo Invitational was moving day in the group stage, with the top contenders separating themselves from the rest of the field.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

There was no slowing down Herschel Girls High who, after two dominant wins on Thursday, added a commanding 21–5 victory over Crawford Lonehill on Friday.

The Capetonians stamped their authority early, taking a 5–1 lead in the opening chukka and kept pressing the accelerator to lead 9-2 by halftime. In the third chukka, they doubled that score, going 18-4 up, before ending with a 16-goal margin of victory.

Later, they were made to work hard by Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) Makhanda, but Herschel pulled out a hard-fought 7–5 win to finish in first place in Pool A with an unbeaten record.

Clarendon High School for Girls also impressed, posting a strong 8-4 win over Woodridge College before swamping Crawford Lonehill 18-2 to secure second place in the group. DSG Makhanda ended their Pool A campaign on a high, defeating Woodridge College 7–1.

In Pool B, St Anne’s Diocesan College, from KwaZulu-Natal, continued their fine form with a dominant 12–5 win over St Peter’s College. They followed that with a convincing 11–4 victory over Reddam House Bedfordview to keep their clean record intact.

The clash with Reddam Bedfordview was close in the early going, with the sides locked at 2–2 for most of the first chukka. St Anne’s broke open the tie late in the quarter to lead 3–2 and then gradually pulled away, stretching their lead to 5-3 at halftime, before adding four goals in the third and two more in the final chukka to seal a comprehensive win.

Reddam House Constantia bounced back from two narrow day one defeats with comfortable wins over St Peter’s College, by 10–5, and Collegiate Girls’ High, by 10-2. Reddam Bedfordview also scored a 7-4 win over Collegiate.

Pool C proved to be fiercely competitive, but Pearson High maintained their strong form with a 9–2 victory over St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls and shared a hard-fought 3–3 draw against St Mary’s Waverley.

Roedean showcased their attacking flair once again, overcoming Beaulieu College 8–3 before edging past St Mary’s 3–2 in a tense finish to top the group. St Dom’s wrapped up their pool campaign with a confident 8–3 win over Beaulieu College.

Meanwhile, in Pool D, the hosts St Stithians College continued to shine, producing an outstanding performance in a 10-6 triumph over Durban Girls’ College (DGC), which decided first place in the group. That win left Saints undefeated after an earlier 17-1 demolition of Kingsmead College.

DGC had earlier cruised past Rhenish Girls’ High 10–3, while Kingswood College stayed in contention for a quarterfinal spot with two wins, beating Rhenish 8–5 and Kingsmead 10-1.

RESULTS

Pool A
Clarendon 8-4 Woodridge
Herschel 21-5 Crawford Lonehill
DSG 7-1 Woodridge
Clarendon 18-2 Crawford Lonehill
DSG 5-7 Herschel

Pool B
Reddam Constantia 10-5 St Peter’s
Reddam Bedfordview 7-4 Collegiate
St Anne’s 12-5 St Peter’s
Reddam Constantia 10-2 Collegiate
St Anne’s 11-4 Reddam House Bedfordview

Pool C
St Dominic’s 2-9 Pearson
Roedean 8-3 Beaulieu
St Mary’s Waverley 3-3 Pearson
St Dominic’s 8-3 Beaulieu
St Mary’s Waverley 2-3 Roedean

Pool D
Kingswood 8-5 Rhenish
St Stithians 17-1 Kingsmead
DGC 10-3 Rhenish
Kingswood 10-1 Kingsmead
St Stithians 10-6 DGC

The St Stithians Girls’ Water Polo Invitational Tournament delivered bucketloads of goals, dominant performances and some stirring comebacks on Thursday, the opening day of the tournament.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In Pool A, the Cape Town powerhouse Herschel Girls High wasted no time in asserting themselves. They brushed aside Clarendon High School for Girls 10-3 in their opener and then cruised to an 8-2 win over Woodridge College to finish atop the standings after day one.

Clarendon bounced back from that early loss with a solid 10-6 victory over Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) Makhanda. Earlier, DSG had opened their account with a comfortable 10-2 win over Crawford Lonehill.

In one of the day’s closest contests, Woodridge clawed their way to a 6-5 win over Crawford.

Meanwhile, in Pool B, St Anne’s Diocesan College opened their campaign in fine form, beating Collegiate Girls’ High 11-2 before withstanding a tough challenge from Reddam House Constantia. They won that key clash 7-5 to finish day one with an unbeaten record.

Reddam House Bedfordview also impressed, pulling off a hard-fought 7-6 win over Reddam Constantia before running riot in a 15-6 victory over St Peter’s College.

The spirited St Peter’s side suffered a narrow 8-9 loss to Collegiate in a thrilling encounter.

In Pool D, the hosts St Stithians College produced an exciting performance for their home supporters, beating Kingswood College 9-5. Later in the day, they charged to a one-sided 21-0 victory over Rhenish Girls’ High School.

RESULTS

Thursday, 16 October

Pool A
DSG 10-2 Crawford Lonehill
Herschel10-3 Clarendon
Crawford Lonehill 5-6 Woodridge
DSG 6-10 Clarendon
Herschel 8-2 Woodridge

Pool B
St Anne’s 11-2 Collegiate
Reddam Bedfordview 7-6 Reddam Constantia
Collegiate 8-9 St Peter’s
St Anne’s7-5 Reddam Constantia
Reddam Bedfordview 15-6 St Peter’s

Pool C
St Mary’s Waverley 3-4 Beaulieu College
Roedean 12-4 St Dominic’s
Beaulieu 4-9 Pearson
St Mary’s Waverley 6-5 St Dominic’s
Roedean 6-6 Pearson

Pool D

DGC 13-4 Kingsmead
St Stithians 9-5 Kingswood
Kingsmead 6-5 Rhenish
DGC 8-4 Kingswood
St Stithians 21-0 Rhenish

FIXTURES

Friday, 17th October

07:50 – Clarendon vs Woodridge
10:20 – Herschel vs Crawford Lonehill
12:00 – DSG vs Woodridge
14:30 – Clarendon vs Crawford Lonehill
17:00 – DSG vs Herschel

Pool B

07:50 – Reddam Constantia vs St Peter’s
10:20 – Reddam Bedfordview vs Collegiate
12:50 – St Anne’s vs St Peter’s
14:30 – Reddam Constantia vs Collegiate
17:00 – St Anne’s vs Reddam House Bedfordview

Pool C

08:40 – St Dominic’s vs Pearson
10:20 – Roedean vs Beaulieu
12:50 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Pearson
15:20 – St Dominic’s vs Beaulieu
17:00 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Roedean

Pool D

08:40 – Kingswood vs Rhenish
11:10 – St Stithians vs Kingsmead
12:50 – DGC vs Rhenish
15:20 – Kingswood vs Kingsmead
17:50 – St Stithians vs DGC

An exciting four days of action awaits at the 31st edition of the St Stithians Water Polo Invitational Tournament.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

With many of the country’s best schoolgirls’ water polo-playing teams in action, the stayers’ event is a stage-setter for the talent that will lead the game over the next year.

The boys’ competition features 20 teams, while the girls’ competition has 16 sides, divided into four pools. Over the first two days, all teams will play two matches per day in the group stage.

Pool A opens the tournament with a clash between Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) Makhanda and Crawford Lonehill. 

Herschel Girls High, one of the favourites who finished in third place at last year’s tournament, will begin their campaign against Clarendon High, while Woodridge College will be out to make waves when they take on Crawford Lonehill and Herschel.

In Pool B, St Anne’s Diocesan College, fourth place finishers in their home tournament recently, takes on Collegiate Girls’ High in the first of that group’s fixtures.

Thursday’s schedule also pits Reddam House Bedfordview against Reddam House Constantia, in an interesting clash between the north’s Reddam powerhouse and the south’s Reddam powerhouse. St Peter’s College opens their account against the Eastern Cape’s Collegiate Girls’ High.

Pool C includes the 2024 winners, Roedean, St Mary’s Waverley, Beaulieu College, Pearson High, and St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls.

Roedean, who recently won the Prestige Cup, will begin their title defence against St Dominic’s, last year’s ninth-place finishers. Beaulieu takes on Pearson in their opener.

The host, St Stithians College, will aim to make home waters work for them in Pool D. They’re up against Durban Girls’ College (DGC), Kingswood College, Kingsmead College, and Rhenish Girls’ High.

Earlier this year, Saints claimed the Reef Cup. More recently, they won the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament, and they’ll be the hot favourites in their group. Their quest for glory begins with a clash against Kingswood, followed by a showdown with Rhenish later in the day.

DGC, the winners of the KZN Top 10 and the Mackenzie Cup, were a little off their game at the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament after a heavy workload, but they’ll have had time to regroup and will be a big threat. They take on Kingsmead College in their first game.

POOLS

Pool A: Clarendon, Crawford Lonehill, DSG Makhanda, Herschel, Woodridge
Pool B: Collegiate, Reddam Bedfordview, Reddam Constantia, St Anne’s, St Peter’s
Pool C: Beaulieu, Pearson, Roedean, St Dominic’s, St Mary’s Waverley
Pool D: DGC, Kingsmead, Kingswood, Rhenish, St Stithians

FIXTURES

Thursday, 16 October 

Pool A
07:50 – DSG vs Crawford Lonehill
10:20 – Herschel vs Clarendon
12:00 – Crawford Lonehill vs Woodridge
14:30 – DSG vs Clarendon
17:00 – Herschel vs Woodridge

Pool B
07:50 – St Anne’s vs Collegiate
10:20 – Reddam Bedfordview vs Reddam Constantia
12:50 – Collegiate vs St Peter’s
14:30 – St Anne’s vs Reddam Constantia
17:00 – Reddam Bedfordview vs St Peter’s

Pool C
08:40 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Beaulieu College
10:20 – Roedean vs St Dominic’s
12:50 – Beaulieu vs Pearson
15:20 – St Mary’s Waverley vs St Dominic’s
17:00 – Roedean vs Pearson

Pool D

08:40 – DGC vs Kingsmead
11:10 – St Stithians vs Kingswood
12:50 – Kingsmead vs Rhenish
15:20 – DGC vs Kingswood
17:50 – St Stithians vs Rhenish

Friday, 17 October

Pool A

07:50 – Clarendon vs Woodridge
10:20 – Herschel vs Crawford Lonehill
12:00 – DSG vs Woodridge
14:30 – Clarendon vs Crawford Lonehill
17:00 – DSG vs Herschel

Pool B

07:50 – Reddam Constantia vs St Peter’s
10:20 – Reddam Bedfordview vs Collegiate
12:50 – St Anne’s vs St Peter’s
14:30 – Reddam Constantia vs Collegiate
17:00 – St Anne’s vs Reddam House Bedfordview

Pool C

08:40 – St Dominic’s vs Pearson
10:20 – Roedean vs Beaulieu
12:50 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Pearson
15:20 – St Dominic’s vs Beaulieu
17:00 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Roedean

Pool D

08:40 – Kingswood vs Rhenish
11:10 – St Stithians vs Kingsmead
12:50 – DGC vs Rhenish
15:20 – Kingswood vs Kingsmead
17:50 – St Stithians vs DGC

Roedean School celebrated a successful day in the pool at the Prestige Cup on Saturday and another successful year of giving back to the community through the annual water polo tournament.

In a thrilling final, Roedean held off St Stithians College, claiming a 9-6 win in a thrilling final on Saturday. While Roedean enjoyed the victory, the school explained that the true triumph of event goes far beyond the scoreboard.

Founded with a vision of addressing a critical need for water-based skills in under-resourced schools, the Prestige Cup has become one of the most meaningful water polo tournaments on the school sports calendar. It was launched with a swimming development sponsorship programme designed to bridge the gap between privilege and access in aquatic sports.

Across Gauteng, young black children, especially, remain largely underrepresented in swimming and even more so in water polo.

Roedean’s Head of Water Polo, Anita Trninic, explained more details about the event: “The tournament was designed to encourage well-resourced girls’ schools to partner with under-resourced schools, helping them develop swimming and water polo skills through mentorship, shared facilities, and guided programmes,” she said.

“The long-term goal is to create self-sustaining Learn-to-Swim programmes within each partner school. Each participating water polo school is encouraged to support its partner school in progressing towards interschool gala participation, thereby expanding the pool of potential water polo players across the province.”

The Prestige Cup Programme runs throughout the year and features two components: the Prestige Cup Water Polo Competition and the Prestige Cup Learn-to-Swim Swim-a-thon.

The season begins in February and concludes in October with the final playoffs and Swim-a-thon. The top three schools receive prize money of R30 000 for first place, R20 000 for second, and R10 000 for third, which must be donated to their partner schools to support their Learn-to-Swim initiatives in the following year.

From 2011 to 2021, Old Mutual sponsored the entire tournament, including the prize money, which had to be used exclusively to support partner schools’ swimming development programmes, which aligned with each school’s Community Service Initiative (CSI) goals.

Aquatic sports in South Africa continues to face a number of challenges, including limited access to pools, a lack of transport, and a shortage of trained swimming teachers in under-resourced communities. As a result, many children aren’t afforded an opportunity to learn to swim. That, also, limits water polo development. As the organisers noted: “Without strong young swimmers, there can be no strong young water polo players.”

In its first three years, the Prestige Cup successfully introduced swimming to 10 partner schools, whose learners would not have had access to facilities nor funding.

Now, each year concludes with the Learn-to-Swim Gala, hosted by Roedean, where young swimmers showcase their progress and get to experience an atmosphere of excitement and pride.

On Saturday, more than 70 learners, both boys and girls, participated in the gala. The impact of the Prestige Cup is further reflected in the success of its past participants in the Learn-to-Swim programme, with Natasha Katongo now training with the OJ Eagles Junior Water Polo Club, while Zamokuhle Komondela, from Houghton Primary and now at Jeppe High School for Boys, has represented the Central Gauteng provincial water polo team for five consecutive years.

Roedean coach Siya Guzana emphasised that the real success of the event lies in the lives that it changes: “Prestige is always a special tournament, not just for the competition, but for the purpose behind it,” she said.

“Historically, the bigger picture is about the Learn-to-Swim programme and giving back to the community. So, all the schools that participated in the competition are part of a Learn-to-Swim programme. Anita Trinic is passionate about learn to swim,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“It is an opportunity for schools to raise awareness and give back to the community, to children who don’t have the facilities, so that is what this tournament is about, it is not about the results.

“We are more content and happier as the [swimming] event was successful because we saw children smiling. We saw kids who were afraid of the water when we started at the beginning of the year, now swimming full lengths confidently. This is more rewarding than the tournament itself, or us playing, because we feel we have made an impact and added to society. This is what we are happier about.”

The 2025 tournament saw the following school partnerships: Reddam House Bedfordview with Tokoza LTS; St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls with Emaromeni Catholic Primary; Kingsmead College with Parkhurst Primary; Crawford International Lonehill with Witkoppen Primary; St Mary’s Waverley with HA Jack Primary; Beaulieu College with Diepsloot Primary; St Stithians Girls’ College with the Thandolwazi Math and Science Programme; and Roedean School with Johannesburg Girls’ Preparatory.

RESULTS

Reddam House Bedfordview 5–7 Roedean
St Stithians College 11–5 St Mary’s Waverley
St Dominic’s 7–8 Crawford Lonehill
Beaulieu College 14–2 Kingsmead College
Crawford Lonehill 4–11 Beaulieu College
Reddam House Bedfordview 9–8 St Mary’s Waverley
Final: Roedean 9–6 St Stithians College

Final standings

1. Roedean
2. St Stithians
3. Reddam House Bedfordview
4. St Mary’s
5. Beaulieu
6. Crawford
7. Kingsmead
8. St Dominic’s

Fresh from winning the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial title with the Central Gauteng u16 team, meet the promising Pretoria-born goalkeeper and Roedean School grade 11 learner, Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi.

The talented goalie, who has captured attention with her super saves, is the second of four children in her family.

After her mother, Samukelisiwe, encouraged her to give the game a go, she played it for only three months in 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic led to a lockdown.

“When I moved to a new school in a new province, Gauteng, from Mpumalanga, I wanted to try some new sports and my mom was the one who suggested that I play water polo. If it wasn’t for my mom, I don’t think I would have tried it, but it was an interesting sport that l had never seen or heard of before,” Kuhle revealed.

It turned out that her mother’s guidance was the best as she took to the game with relish. “I honestly can’t remember how I fell in love with the sport, but it quickly just became such a huge part of my life,” she fondly told SuperSport Schools Plus.

While the lockdown stopped teams from playing matches, it didn’t stop them from putting in work that would benefit them later. There were online gym sessions and goalkeeper sessions with coaches where they spoke about things like positioning and techniques.

“It was quite interesting doing a sport online, but our coaches always found a way to make it fun,” she said. “After lockdown, we had training at the Nokuthula pool.

Talking about her experiences in the sport, she said: “I think the thing that I loved most about water polo was the community that we had. The long car rides with friends on the way to training, singing songs in the car, and the end-of-year braais and lunches.”

In her first water polo tournament, her team finished third. At her next tournament, the Durban Girls’ College u13 Tournament, Roedean finished second. At the end of the year, she attended her first Inter-Provincial Tournament. Central Gauteng made the final, and it was a nerve-wracking experience.

“It was my first time going to penalties in such an important game and, as a goalkeeper, there was a lot of pressure on me. But I am proud to say that I made the game-winning save, and my team came away with the gold.

“The years after that were filled with countless hours of training and dedication to the sport,” said added.

In East London, at last year’s IPT, Buthelezi shone, helping her side to move through the group phase unbeaten. Then, in the final, she pulled off some big saves to help Central Gauteng beat Western Province 8-6 in the gold medal game.

Again, it was the memories she made that she treasures, Kuhle said. “My fondest memories that I have with my Gauteng team are, without a doubt, the car rides to games, and especially the ride back from the final, blasting our victory song, celebrating our winning streak.”

Winning the title in East London wasn’t the first time that she had claimed Inter-Provincial gold with Central Gauteng. “A moment that I’ll never forget is our 2022 final when we were up by four goals, with only a few minutes of the game left. Our coach, Gareth Prout, called a timeout and said: “Congratulations, girls, you did it again!”

Playing goalkeeper is challenging, Kuhle admitted, but she has had excellent guidance from her school coach Anita Trininic.

“Well, my coach, Madam Trininic, was the reason I ended up being a goalkeeper. I had just started water polo and was at my first match after having had only a few training sessions. She said that we needed a goalkeeper for the game since our team goalkeeper was injured. The next thing I knew, Madam Trininic had put me in the goals.”

That suited her perfectly, Kuhle admitted: “As someone who wasn’t very fond of swimming, I was more than happy to be in the goals. I soon discovered, or rather Madam Trininic did, that I have a lot of potential as a goalkeeper, and I started training as a goalkeeper at school practices.”

Despite her many successes, Kuhle has, also, had to overcome some challenges, which she shared: “I’m not the tallest goalkeeper, and my height and the length of my arms is sometimes a disadvantage, but it makes me work harder to get to those top corners. So, I’ve spent a lot of training strengthening my legs and perfecting my technique to make sure that I’m on top of my game.”

Along the way, she has garnered individual awards, too. In 2023, she was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the u15 Crawford tournament. That same year, she was named the top goalkeeper at the Reddam Inspired Cup. Then, in 2024, she received the Goalkeeper of the Tournament accolade at the Saints u19 Invitational Tournament, where she was included in the Team of the Tournament.

The 16-year-old, who is now coached by Siyabonga Guzana and Anita Trininic, said: “By far, my greatest achievement was being a part of the u16 South African team and representing South Africa in the 2024 World Aquatics Women’s u16 Water Polo Championships.

She added: “I just want to say thank you to all the coaches that have been a part of my water polo journey. Special thanks to my u13 coaches, Matthew and Andrew van Rooyen, who still send me pictures of them watching my games, and to Mr Gareth Prout, who was with me for two important years of my polo career.”

Being a goalkeeper is nerve-wracking but rewarding, says Kuhle Buthelezi. Photo: Will Morrell.[/caption]

Reflecting on other highlights of her water polo journey thus far, Kuhle said: “My highlights have been seeing the work, time, and effort that I’ve put into water polo show in my playing, and being able to let the results speak for themselves.

“Another highlight has been the friendships that I’ve made through playing this sport. I’ve made some lifelong friendships with players from different schools, provinces, and even countries. I can honestly say that some of my closest friendships were formed through playing water polo.”

In 2025, she will be moving up to the senior ranks of schoolgirls’ water polo. Given her hard work and dedication to the game, and the superb coaches guiding her, it is no surprise that she cannot wait to take the step up and take on the challenges.

“I’m quite thrilled to be moving up to the u19 provincial squad. There is going to be a lot more competition, but I think that it’s going to be great for me to train with the u19 goalkeepers,” she enthused. “I’m excited to train with other SA [u19] players and even players that were in the [South African] Women’s water polo team. I think it’s 100 percent going to challenge me, but I’m ready, and I can’t wait.”

Now that the soon-to-be 17-year-old has reached the senior age group for schools, she has some words of advice for those who are yet to make that journey, and who have provincial aspirations.

“The advice that I would give them is never to give up and, if you truly want something, you should be willing to work hard for it. My mom always told me that I needed to put in 10 000 hours if I wanted to do well in something.

“You are always given the choice to put in the work, and when an opportunity is in front of you, you have to take it because if you don’t take that opportunity and do the best that you can, other people will.

You can follow Kuhle Buthelezi’s water polo exploits on Instagram – @kuhle_waterpolo.