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The CAF African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier for the 2024/25 season kicks off in Walvis Bay, Namibia, on Friday, 11 October.

A total of eight teams, comprising both boys and girls from the Southern African region, will compete for a coveted spot in the continental finals of the CAF African Schools Football Championship.

Since taking office as the President of CAF, Dr. Patrice Motsepe and the Motsepe Foundation have made substantial contributions to the tournament, now entering its third edition, with significant investments in its development.

“Schools football is at the heart of the long-term development and growth of African football,” Motsepe said.

“One of the best investments that we can make to ensure that African football is amongst the best in the world is to invest in schools’ football and football infrastructure for boys and girls at school, amateur and professional level.”

This year marks the third edition of the U15 regional qualifiers, following the events held in Malawi in 2022 and Zimbabwe in 2023, both of which were won by South Africa, in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. Team South Africa is therefore aiming for a historic three-peat in the regional qualifiers.

The South African girls’ team was awarded the title of continental champions for the 2023/24 season earlier this year. Under the guidance of coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo, the team defeated Morocco in a penalty shootout, winning 5-4 following a 1-1 draw after regular time at the Amaan Stadium in Tanzania, which was filled to capacity.

South Africa’s girls’ team will be competing without Katlego Malebana, who previously led them to victory. Malebana, a remarkable young talent, was instrumental in South Africa’s victory at the CAF African Schools Football Championship held in Tanzania. She also earned the title of Player of the Tournament during the CAF African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier in Zimbabwe last year.

Her talents have been recognized, as she was awarded the GSport4girls School Sport Star of the Year in September. She was also added to the Tuks senior team for the remainder of the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League season.

While her absence will be keenly felt by Team South Africa, the inclusion of Akhona Simamane, who plays for Lindelani Ladies FC in the top tier of South African women’s football, along with Nomfundo Nzuza, who was also part of the gold medal-winning team, will enhance the already impressive line-up of Team South Africa.

Both South Africa’s boys’ and girls’ teams have been placed in Group B, where they will be competing against Zimbabwe, Angola and Eswatini. The hosts, Namibia, are grouped with Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho in Group A

With the schools’ water polo season in full swing and nearing its conclusion, 28 schools – featuring 12 girls’ and 16 boys’ teams – will assemble in the small town of Thornhill, between Jeffreys Bay and Gqeberha, to contest the Woodridge College Stayers Water Polo Tournament over the weekend.

The second edition of the tournament kicks off on Thursday afternoon and concludes with the final at 14:00 on Sunday.

There’s an intriguing lineup of established sides and rising teams, and the event will also present them with an opportunity to transition and prepare for 2025.

Selborne College is the defending boys’ champion. Coached by Storm Siebert, they defeated St Andrew’s College 5-2 in last year’s final.

Behind them was Gqeberha’s Pearson High, who beat Merrifield College 5-2 to place third, while Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys’ High ended in fifth place, followed by Glenwood House, Grey High, Woodridge, Hudson Park, and Alexander Road, who completed the top 10.

Selborne heads into the tournament battle-hardened, having recently participated in two major events, the SACS and Clifton Water Polo Tournaments. At SACS,  coach Siebert’s side, after starting well, narrowly missed out on the quarterfinals, while at Clifton, they finished in ninth place. They’re in Pool D, up against Pearson High, Stirling, and Saheti.

Pool A will be interesting, with Kingswood College, Reddam House Constantia B, Hudson, and Grey High set to battle for supremacy.

St Andrew’s College has been drawn in Pool B alongside Bridgehouse, Merrifield College, and Glenwood House, while Pool C will see three Western Cape teams – Wynberg Boys’ High, Paarl Boys’ High, and Somerset College – take on the hosts, Woodridge.

The tournament has been boosted by the addition of a girls’ section, which features 12 teams. The Eastern Cape sides include DSG Makhanda, Kingswood College, Collegiate Girls’ High, Stirling, Clarendon, Merrifield, Pearson, and Woodridge.

Somerset College, Bridgehouse, and Glenwood House represent the Western Cape, and Saheti makes the trip from Johannesburg.

FIXTURES

Thursday, 10 October

Girls

13:00 – Woodridge College vs Collegiate Girls’ High; 13:40 – Pearson High vs Glenwood House; 14:20 – Kingswood College vs Stirling High; 15:00 – Merrifield College vs DSG Makhanda; 17:40 – Woodridge College vs Kingswood College; 18:20 – Clarendon vs DSG Makhanda; 19:00 – Collegiate Girls’ High vs Stirling High; 19:40 – Glenwood House vs Merrifield.

Boys

15:40 – Grey High vs Kingswood College; 16:20 – Glenwood vs Merrifield College; 17:00 – Stirling High vs Pearson High

Friday, 11 October

Pool 1

Girls

10:20 – DSG Makhanda vs Somerset College; 11:00 – Bridgehouse vs Collegiate Girls’ High; 11:40 – Kingswood College vs Saheti; 12:20 – Glenwood House vs Clarendon; 13:00 – Woodridge College vs Stirling High; 14:20 – Glenwood House vs Somerset College; 15:00 – Kingswood College vs Bridgehouse; 15:40 – Clarendon vs Merrifield College; 18:20 – Pearson vs Somerset College; 19:40 – Saheti vs Bridgehouse.

Boys 

07:00 – Kingswood College vs Reddam House Constantia B; 07:40 – Glenwood vs Bridgehouse; 08:20 – Woodridge College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 09:00 – Somerset College vs Paarl Boys’ High; 09:40 – Stirling High vs Saheti; 13:40 – St Andrew’s College vs Glenwood; 16:20 – St Andrew’s College vs Bridgehouse; 17:00 – Somerset College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 17:40 – Woodridge College vs Paarl Boys’ High; 19:00 – Selborne College vs Saheti; 20:20 – Hudson Park vs Reddam House Constantia B.

Pool 2

Girls

07:00 – Somerset College vs Merrifield College; 07:40 – DSG Makhanda vs Glenwood House; 08:20 – Kingswood College vs Collegiate Girls’; 09:00 – Stirling High vs Saheti; 09:40 – Woodridge College vs Bridgehouse; 10:20 – Clarendon vs Pearson High; 14:20 – DSG Makhanda vs Pearson High; 16:20 – Saheti vs Collegiate Girls’ High.

Boys

11:00 – Grey High vs Reddam Constantia B; 11:40 – Merrifield College vs St Andrew’s College; 12:20 – Woodridge College vs Somerset College; 13:00 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 13:40 – Saheti vs Pearson High; 15:00 – Kingswood College vs Hudson Park; 15:40 – Selborne College vs Stirling High; 17:00 – Selborne College vs Pearson High; 17:40 – Grey High vs Hudson; 18:20 – Merrifield vs Bridgehouse.

The second edition of the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL) is concluding this weekend, with the final matches scheduled for Sunday, 13 October, at Panorama FC in Roodepoort.

It brings the curtain down on a year filled with competitive and entertaining football, providing fans in the Gauteng province with memorable experiences.

A particularly noteworthy event in the GWDL took place on 11 August, when SAFA Gauteng, in collaboration with SuperSport Schools, made the GWDL games accessible to all fans through live-streaming on the SuperSport Schools App and DStv Channel 216. This event coincided with the celebration of Women’s Month.

The day sparked a vibrant atmosphere in Vereeniging, where a significant number of spectators gathered to support the teams. It was a moment of pride not only for the parents and fans but also for the players, who demonstrated their dedication on the field. Ultimately, women’s football won, as the day concluded with smiles all around, following a successful event hosted by the Remember Elite Sports Academy (RESA) at their home venue in President Park, Vereeniging.

Another highlight of the GWDL took place in March when the season commenced with a pre-season tournament held at Panorama. On a hot day that unexpectedly concluded with showers, Mamelodi Sundowns triumphed in the inaugural GWDL Top 8 by defeating their close rivals, JVW FC, who are recognised for providing a formidable challenge to the Brazilian ladies in both league matches and cup competitions.

The season, however, offers more than mere memorable moments, as it continues to demonstrate growth and potential. We have witnessed exceptionally young players, some as young as 10 and 11, competing alongside 15 and 16-year-olds. One such remarkable talent is Unathi Ndlovu, the Sundowns goalkeeper, who also made her debut in the Engen Champs of Champs last month and contributed significantly to her team’s victory in the tournament.

As we approach the final match of the GWDL on Sunday, Mamelodi Sundowns look set to be honoured as the champions of both the U14 and U16 divisions for the 2024 season. In the U16 category, Sundowns are currently on 65 points, while the second-placed Tuks have 54, establishing Sundowns as clear frontrunners for the league title.

In the U14 GWDL, Sundowns’ ladies also enjoy a huge point difference with only one match remaining, against Tornado FC on Sunday. Sundowns are on the verge of being crowned champions as they lead the standings by 11 points, with Tuks occupying the second position with 56 points.

Both the U14 and U16 teams of Mamelodi Sundowns have enjoyed an exceptional season, as they remain undefeated in the GWDL across both categories. In addition, Sundowns will be defending their title, having secured the inaugural GWDL championship, which featured only the U15 division in 2023.

GWDL U14 Fixtures 

11:45. Field 2: Tornado vs Mamelodi Sundowns

GWDL U16 Fixtures

09:00. Field 1: Kenneth FC vs Panorama FC
09:00. Field 2: FC Origin vs Refilwe FC
10:30. Field 1: JVW FC vs Edenvale FC
10:30. Field 2: RESA vs Kenneth FC
11:45. Field 1: Panorama FC vs FC Origin
12:45. Field 1: Refilwe FC vs Panorama FC
12:45. Field2: JVW FC vs RESA
13:45. Field 1: Kenneth FC vs FC Origin
13:45. Field 2: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Highlands Park

U16 Current Log Table 

Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Mamelodi Sundowns	23	21	2	0	98	5	93	65
Tuks	24	17	3	4	47	14	33	54
JVW FC	22	16	4	2	67	13	54	52
RESA	21	15	1	5	50	17	33	46
Panorama FC	21	11	4	6	38	19	19	37
Kempton Park FC	24	10	4	10	37	33	4	34
Highlands Park FC	23	9	4	10	33	39	-6	31
Tornado FC	24	9	4	11	24	38	-14	31
Refilwe FC	22	5	5	12	14	44	-30	20
Kenneth FC	21	5	4	12	21	36	-15	19
Football Origin	22	4	4	14	16	44	-28	16
Edenvale	23	5	1	17	17	89	-72	16

U14 Current Log Table 

Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
Mamelodi Sundowns	23	22	1	0	81	6	75	67
Tuks	24	18	2	4	50	18	32	56
Panorama FC	24	16	5	3	52	14	38	53
RESA	24	16	2	6	41	17	24	50
JVW FC	24	12	6	6	29	18	11	42
Refilwe FC	24	12	2	10	40	26	14	38
Kempton Park FC	24	9	7	8	24	22	2	34
Origin FC	23	9	4	10	26	33	-7	31
Edenvale FC	23	8	0	15	21	76	-55	24
Tornado FC	23	6	5	12	17	30	-13	23
Kenneth FC	24	3	5	16	8	46	-38	14
Highlands Park FC	24	0	3	21	0	43	-43	3

If the 2024 Westvaal North-South T20 cricket tournament for schools is anything like the year before, it promises to be another cracker of a week.

Follow all the action live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

The tournament runs from Thursday, 10 October, to Sunday, 13 October.

With an abundance of talent and stars about to be born, we take a closer look at five players who may hold the key to their respective teams’ success. To pick only five proved a challenge in itself.

Beni Hansen (Wynberg Boys High):

Already a well-known name around the country, Wynberg Boys High’s Beni Hansen will be one to keep an eye on. Hansen burst onto the South African schoolboy cricket scene in 2023 with a dominant display at the Khaya Majola Week. His consistent performances with the bat saw him scoop the Player of the Tournament award.

Still in Grade 11, Hansen went on to lead the SA Schools side in their one-off match against the South Africa Schools ‘A’ side, more commonly known as the Colts side, which was also selected at the week and represented the Southern Superstars in the Cubs Week in January this year.

Hansen’s batting prowess and stroke-making ability will play a pivotal role if Wynberg wants to advance further than the dangerous Pool C.

Marcus “Master Blaster” Bakker (Waterkloof): 

Known for his destructive nature, especially in the shortest format of the game, Waterkloof’s Marcus Bakker will be a prize wicket to any team coming up against the defending champs, even more so with the possible absence of Wian Ruthven due to an injured hand. Bakker’s insane innings of 169* from only 66 balls, when he smashed an astonishing 19 sixes, will be fresh in the memories of those who played in the 2023 tournament.

However, Bakker’s batting is not the only threat. His highly-skilled left-arm spin has seen him bag 37 wickets throughout 2024 and is a weapon which might come in very handy as the Pretoria pitches start to deteriorate over the four days of cricket. He also brings a wealth of experience having already played, like Hansen, in the Khaya Majola and Cubs Week.

 Jorich van Schalkwyk (Affies):

Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool’s Jorich van Schalkwyk has been in a rich vein of form this year. Boasting over a thousand runs, including a record-breaking 240, which saw him become the Affies player with the highest individual score in the school’s history, the talented right-handed batsman has scored his runs at a healthy average of 60,41.

He looked especially impressive during the SA U19 Emerging tour of Zimbabwe last month, scoring 189 runs, at an average of 94,5, and a couple of fifties in the four matches he played. His off-break spin bowling has also been a huge asset to Affies. Van Schalkwyk has claimed 14 scalps in the 22 matches he played for Affies this year and achieved a four-for on the Zimbabwean tour.

Charl Prinsloo (Hoërskool Centurion):

Charl Prinsloo has been the sole contributor to Hoërskool Centurion’s run tally in 2024. He, too, boasts a magnificent record of well over a thousand runs for the year. Normally batting at four in the longer formats, Prinsloo swaps his role as anchor of the innings to the aggressor in T20s, where he opens the batting, a move that has proved fruitful for the young batsman and his side.

In the four T20s he has played this year, he has scored a total of 208 runs at an average of 69, including a mammoth 135 against Prestige College and a classy 73 against the powerful Waterkloof, upping his normal strike rate of 97,69 to a whopping 230. Like Bakker and Van Schalkwyk, he’s also a handy option with the ball, which could see him contribute even more during the four days.

Daniel Bosman (Rondebosch Boys High): 

Being the youngest of the five and still in Grade 11, Rondebosch’s Daniel Bosman has nevertheless shown that he can punch at the same weight as the above-mentioned four big names. He also toured Zimbabwe with the U19 Emerging squad, alongside Van Schalkwyk, and has experience at provincial level having played for Western Province at the 2023 CSA U16 National Youth Week.

The young all-rounder’s shot-making ability and calmness under pressure have been major weapons in the Rondebosch arsenal. However, his right arm medium pace holds the key for his side, having the ability to take a wicket at exactly the right time, which might prove pivotal as Rondebosch also has to battle it out in the difficult Pool A.

Fixtures:

Day 1 – Thursday, 10 October: 

13:30:
Menlopark vs Paarl Boys High – Camp Discovery
St Andrews (Bloem) vs Grey High School – Sinoville
Hoërskool Centurion vs SACS – Affies Oval
Jeppe High School for Boys vs Westville Boys – Harlequins
Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) vs Wynberg Boys’ High – CBC Old boys
Potchefstroom Volkskool vs Grey College – Waterkloof
St Stithians College vs Northwood – Pretoria Old Boys
Waterkloof vs Rondebosch – Menlopark

Day 2 – Friday, 11 October: 

09:00:
Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) vs Potchefstroom Volkskool – Camp Discovery
Wynberg Boys High School vs Grey College – Sinoville
Waterkloof vs St Stithians College – Affies Oval
Rondebosch vs Northwood – Harlequins
Grey High School vs Paarl Boys High – CBC Old Boys
St Andrews (Bloem) vs Menlopark – Waterkloof
SACS vs Westville Boys High – Pretoria Old Boys
Jeppe High School for Boys vs Hoërskool Centurion – Menlopark

14:00:
Potchefstroom Volkskool vs Wynberg Boys High – Camp Discovery
Grey College vs Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies)
Rondebosch vs St Stithians – Affies Oval
Northwood vs Waterkloof – Harlequins
Menlopark vs Grey High School – CBC Old Boys
Paarl Boys High vs St Andrews (Bloem) – Waterkloof
Hoërskool Centurion vs Westville Boys High – Pretoria Old Boys
Jeppe High School for Boys vs SACS – Menlopark

Hoërskool Garsfontein‘s First XI, more affectionately known as the “Ysbere”, was too good on home soil for St Alban’s College in their first outing of the Schools SA20 Titans League.

Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

After the visitors had won the toss and elected to bowl, a collective batting effort from the home side saw the Ysbere reach a very competitive total of 189/7 in the allotted 20 overs.

Wikus du Preez led the onslaught with the willow. Smashing four sixes and two fours, Du Preez raced to 47 from only 30 balls, falling three runs short of what would’ve been a well-deserved half-century.

His innings was made possible thanks to Charl van Staden who laid the platform at the top of the order. Van Staden, too, batted at a brisk pace making his way to 39 from only 27 deliveries, while Zizwe Khumalo lent a helpful hand with his aggressive 35 towards the back end of the innings, sending five of his 20 balls to the boundary.

The St Alban’s opening pair of stalwart Liam Basch and Christian Visagie were exceptional. Bowling on a batter-friendly wicket, the pair grafted hard to claim two wickets each, at critical moments.

Basch then went on to put up a valiant fight with the bat. Striking at 177, the St Alban’s all-rounder only required 30 deliveries for his 53, scoring most of his runs through four sixes. Kyle Block provided able support with 29, while Visagie, too, added to his fine bowling performance with a contribution of 25 runs.

Garsies’ Jared Carr, however, had other plans. Claiming all three the St Alban’s top scorers, Carr bagged impressive figures of 3/31 in his allotted four overs. This stemmed the flow of runs significantly, restricting the visitors to 162/6 in their 20, to secure a relatively comfortable 27-run victory.

Summarised scorecard: 

Garsfontein 189/7 (Wikus du Preez 47, Charl van Staden 39, Zizwe Khumalo 35; Liam Basch 2/34, Christian Visagie 2/37); St Alban’s College 162/6 (Liam Basch 53, Kyle Block 29, Christiaan Visagie 25, Josh Melville 24; Jarred Carr 3/31). Garsfontein won by 27 runs.

Khaya Majola Week defending champions Central Gauteng Lions recently named a strong 13-member side for the 2024 edition of the annual cricket showcase that will be contested in Cape Town from the 16th to the 20th of December 2024.

This year’s team will feature three players from their title-winning outfit, Richard Seletswane, Sipho Potsane, and Fayaz Vawda. Seletswane scored the second-most runs in the final to help the Lions to the title, where they went up against the Dolphins. Potsane also made a handy contribution by bagging a brace of wickets.

Seletswane has enjoyed a fruitful couple of years. In addition to his Khaya Majola appearance last year, he was also a member of the SA u19 and SA Schools squads selected in 2023.

Potsane enjoyed a good Khaya Majola Week and was picked for the SA u19 and Colts sides.

JJ Basson and Jason Rowles will add to the experience and leadership in the side after their recent trip to Zimbabwe as part of the South Africa u19 Emerging side that whitewashed the hosts in a five-match series.

Basson has proven himself to be one of the most exciting left-arm pacers coming through and will be looking to create chaos with his pace and angles. Rowles, on the other hand, has shown himself to be more than just an outstanding opening batter. The St David’s Marist Inanda learner is also a handy spin bowling option.

St David’s has three more players in the side. Kamogelo Phiri, who is following in the footsteps of his brother Gomolemo Phiri. The older Phiri featured for the Lions at the showcase last year. Rowles and Phiri are joined by the Manack brothers, Armaan and Morteza Manack. The Manack brothers are batting all-rounders and Phiri is a wicketkeeper.

As they did last year, St Stithians has a trio in the team, Seletswane, Pranav Raichetti, and Tahseen Hanslo. Noordheuwel has three representatives, Basson, Corné Botha, and Ruan Strauss. Vawda and Tiaan Goosen are both from King Edward VII, and Potsane is the sole player from Jeppe High School for Boys in the side.

The team:

Richard Seletswane (St Stithians College), Sipho Potsane (Jeppe High School fo Boys), Fayaaz Vawda (King Edward VII), Kamogelo Phiri (St David’s Marist), Armaan Manack (St David’s Marist), Tahseen Hanslo (St Stithians College), Morteza Manack (St David’s Marist), JJ Basson (Noordheuwel), Jason Rowles (St David’s Marist), Pranav Raichetti (St Stithians College), Corné Botha (Noordheuwel), Tiaan Goosen (Noordheuwel), Ruan Strauss (Noordheuwel).

Coach: Ahmed Nawab.

Thomas Rew and Ombesa Matsha scored brilliant half-centuries as St Stithians College romped to a dominant 152-run victory over Trinity School in their Schools SA20 match played on the Dlamini Oval at St Stithians on Tuesday.

Rew blitzed more sixes than fours (2X4s, 8X6s) as he thumped 69 runs off 33 deliveries and Matsha had a more even spread of boundaries (6X4s, 5X6s) on his way to a 32-ball 63 as they buoyed St Stithians to 232/6. In reply, Trinity School hobbled to 80/9 in 20 overs.

The last time the two sides met was earlier in the year, in January, and back then, Trinity School batted first and chalked a total which Lazarus Mokoena’s side chased down in 12.2 overs. This time around Theo Enslin, the Trinity School captain, won the toss and elected to bowl first and rued the decision immediately.

Matsha and Liam Mudenda raced to put together a 90-run opening partnership from a mere 47 deliveries. The visitors must have thought they were back in the game when they followed up Mudenda’s wicket with the dismissal of Matsha in the next over.

However, St Stithians had more firepower coming. Rew and his captain, Tahseen Hanslo scored 86 from 39 balls in their third-wicket stand as the destruction continued. All of the St Stithians batters who reached double figures were scoring at strike rates north of 150.

Zakir Hanslo and Tendai Kadyamadare saw to it that Trinity School did not get off on a flier by striking early. The bowlers had the visitors three wickets down for five runs after 1.6 overs. Things did not get better for Trinity School as the match progressed. Three batters, Justin du Preez, Matthew Webb, and Jack Joubert reached double figures but did so at a slow pace. Du Preez scored a run-a-ball 12, Webb faced 42 deliveries for his 25, and Joubert top-scored with a 28-ball 32.

Kadyamadare was the pick of the bowlers for St Stithians with three wickets for five runs in two overs. He delivered 10 dot balls in his 12-ball quota. Akhil Challa also bagged three wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Zakir Hanslo, who took a single wicket for 9 runs in his four-over allotment, sent down an incredible 17 dot balls.

Summarised Scorecard:

St Stithians College 232/6 (Thomas Rew 69, Ombesa Matsha 63; Kian Vermaak 1/35, Stef Steyn 1/29); Trinity School 80/9 (Jack Joubert 32, Matthew Webb 25; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/5, Akhil Challa 3/24). St Stithians College won by 152 runs.

The Hudson Park girl’s first team water polo side ended their season in top fashion over the past weekend when they claimed top honours at the annual Clarendon Stayers Festival in East London.

Hudson defeated Gqeberha’s Pearson 10-7 in the final after edging out the hosts in a penalty shootout in the semifinal.

Their journey to the title match was characterized by grit, resilience, and the desire to overcome setbacks in the pool stages.

In the five group matches played, coach Josh Allderman’s side picked up two wins against Cape Town’s St Cyprian’s School 10-8, and an Invitational team 15-6.

Along the way, they suffered defeats to Clarendon Girls’ 5-9, the Pearson as mentioned above 8-10, and Collegiate Girls’ High 5-10.

However, they had already done enough to secure themselves a spot in the final four where they came up against the hosts and ultimately dethroned them to take a 9-8 win in a match that went to penalty shootouts.

That win for coach Allderman’s team set them up for a showdown against Pearson. In the final, Hudson remained composed, used their opportunities, and claimed the win to overturn their seventh-place finish from last year’s tournament.

Forward, Kara Batting was awarded the attacker of the tournament after inspiring her side throughout the tournament.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools Plus after the tournament, Allderman praised his team’s performance and believes the win will put them in good stead heading into the new season in 2025.

“Winning the Clarendon Stayers tournament was a goal the team had set out for themselves at the beginning of the term,” he said.

“It was a very special win for the girls, getting their first win as a team at first team level, at a local tournament with the support of the school, family, and friends.

“It meant a lot to the girls and was great to see the belief it instilled in them. They worked so hard for it, and when it counted, they played some of their best Polo, we couldn’t be prouder of their effort and their achievement.”

Heading into the tournament, Hudson had taken part in the National Co-Ed water polo tournament a week before.

There, they blazed through the pool stages, remained unbeaten, and recorded big wins against Crawford Lonehill and St. Peters College.

They were, however, eliminated in the quarterfinals after losing to Pearson, and finished the tournament ranked in seventh place.

” We couldn’t complain about the preparation leading up to the tournament as we had the Co-Ed tournament before and were playing in competitive matches,” the coach continued.

“In terms of at the tournament, there were no real challenges to note, other than inconsistency and not being able to string together a full match performance.”

The current Hudson Park team is a fairly young one with promising players coming into the fold and raising their hands ahead of the highly anticipated season in 2025.

For now, it’s the end of the season for some players, while three members of the team, Erin Batting, Rania Khan, and Mia Smith will represent Buffalo City at this year’s Inter-Provincial Tournament in East London in December.

“As a school, we are looking forward to how they perform on the National stage and are excited for them to learn and grow through their respective IPT coaches,” Allderman added.

“From a Hudson point of view, it is unfortunate we don’t have another tournament to work towards and build on the success from this past weekend, but we do have a great standard to work from and to build on for the season that kicks off early next year,” he ended.

After a colourful journey with her players, St Anne’s Diocesan College water polo coach Megan Sileno has whispered into the ears of SuperSport Schools Plus that she will be taking on a new challenge at the end of 2024.

The Cape Town-born coach recently led her girls to a silver medal at the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament, facing a strong 20-team field from across South Africa.

Sileno, who attended Arizona State University in 2008, followed by Stellenbosch University from 2009 to 2012, played many sports at a young age. “All but hockey,” she said.

She was introduced to water polo at school when her netball coach decided to turn their team into a water polo team during the summer months.

Her love for the sport grew and she excelled as a player. As a result, coaching became a natural consequence. When she was a student at Maties in 2009, she coached for the first time, taking charge of the u15A Western Province and Rhenish Girls’ High School first teams.

“I was supposed to be coaching the Western Province u16B team, but they decided to split them up into u14, u15, u16, and u19A teams. Just by luck, I got to coach the u15A team, which was quite nerve-wracking and a bit of pressure, but it was a very good little team and we ended up winning gold at the end of that year, which was exciting.

“We were in a few finals, and we won a few gold medals while I was still in Cape Town,” she fondly recalled.

Later, a move to KwaZulu-Natal presented Sileno with a new challenge. She grabbed it with both hands.

“In 2017, we moved up to Hilton and that’s where the challenge of my coaching career started. I was still very young, very new and I feel like St Anne’s and I almost started developing together. I always had good players and that helped, and it didn’t matter that I wasn’t too experienced as a coach. I got down the development side of my coaching when I moved up to Hilton.

“I did not have the excellence. We started from scratch, with some decent players, but they were raw as well, so heading to tournaments with inexperienced players showed my faults and lack of experience as a young coach. So, over the last seven years, I have grown into a good coach.

“I’ve always been a good water polo player and that got me as far as it could have as a coach. Now, I have learned the timing of when to do things, what things to do, when things are not working how to change them up. The St Anne’s community and I have grown more into each other,” Sileno told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I think my experience of being at St Anne’s and running my programme has helped me develop into a good coach. I think I have come a long way,” she added.

Sileno recalled some of the memorable moments of her coaching career, including the birth of her son just before a tournament.

“I was 20 months pregnant with our first child,” she giggled, “and we won the St Anne’s tournament in 2018. Back then it was not the top tournament. The top Johannesburg and Cape Town schools were not there. They used to come in the past but they started going to another tournament.

“When I arrived at St Anne’s that was going to be my challenge, to get them all back to the St Anne’s Tournament and I have accomplished that, and now it’s the top tournament in the nation.

“Winning that one and my son being born the following week was special and it was awesome.”

Digging deeper into her well of memories, she said she had to hand the coaching reins to her junior coach for most of the games at the Top Schools Tournament in Durban, as she had to deal with some medical issues after the birth of her son.

“My junior coach led the team and I watched from afar in the hospital with my little boy. He responded well to medical assistance, and it was on Sunday and we were in the final. I sat with a nurse, with whom I had become friendly, and she could see how much I wanted to be with those girls. She encouraged me to stop fussing. My little Jamie was fine. He was being fed and all that, so she pushed me to the car, and I drove down to the final.

“I made it just when the girls were starting their warm-up. We were very excited to see each other, and we ended up winning that final. We beat Durban Girls’ College, which St Anne’s had never done. That’s probably one of my favorite memories of being a coach, just sharing the delight and the ecstasy of that moment”

“I had a special captain, Isabella Bertossi. Her belief that we could do this got the girls on board. That was awesome. We had some ups and downs but we came a long way.

“And another favorite memory is us making it to the final in this last tournament. For St Anne’s, that was unheard of – getting a silver medal in the top tournament and beating some of the top teams that they never actually thought they could do – so, to share the belief and determination with the girls is something I am proud of,” she said.

Now in her mid-thirties, Sileno has built up valuable experience, and she has made her mark. She reflected on the challenges she has faced on her coaching journey.

“There are lots of challenges as a young coach. You get to be a top coach by going through all of that – the inexperience, realising that games are won and lost, and especially lost on decisions that you have made, and you do a lot of reflecting, and those are big challenges as a young coach.

“Coaching young girls is an emotional rollercoaster and one of my biggest challenges at St Anne’s is just getting the girls to believe that they deserve to be where they are.

“They can get into a game, and they can be amazing and then two games later, just because they are playing a top team, they will completely fall apart when they know they can do better. That’s a huge challenge for me. It’s getting these girls to believe that they can do it.

“There is only so much you can do when you are outside the pool. It has to come down to them and the decisions they make in the pool and how they carry themselves through it. That, also, has been a big challenge, and I think I’ve done a good job now.”

The St Anne’s Sports Coordinator and senior team coach represented the South African women’s team from 2006 to 2024, including at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.

Earlier this year, she was again selected for the national team that contested the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.

“I look back on seven years as my journey with St Anne’s comes to an end,” Sileno said, “and I think I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in my walk through life.

“I’ve built something special at this school and I am confident it will continue with the culture that has been created within the programme. The buy-in from the girls and parents will ensure that it gets passed down through the teams to come.”

Though she is leaving her coaching job at St Anne’s, she is not leaving coaching.

“My family and I are off to Johannesburg to start work at St Stithians College. Coaching is still on the cards for me up there. I plan to build on the programme that is already established and put my spin on it.

“My career as a national player may be coming to an end. We just can’t seem to break through the politics to let our young athletes fly. But maybe on the coaching side of things, I can make an impact. It is sad to be thinking of hanging up my cap for good but, as for coaching, I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface,” Sileno concluded.

Traditional hockey powerhouse, Maritzburg College, announced Mark Sanders as their new hockey first-team head coach. The decorated mentor will hold the dual positions of Director of Hockey and First XI head coach.

Sanders has an impressive 27-year coaching record, 25 of which have been at provincial school level. He has had spells with good results as the head coach at King Edward VII, Parktown Boys’ High, St Stithians College, and St Benedict’s College.

“I have earned great experience along the way. I think it will serve me and the school well as we embark on this new chapter,” Sanders shared.

Over the past few years, Sanders has overseen the implementation of a playing system he envisions for Maritzburg College through its junior ranks. It is a system that he hopes to have the senior team playing going forward.

“We want to play a modern and fresh attacking brand of hockey. That is a brand of play that should help us regain our standing as one of the best hockey-playing schools, not only in KZN but in the country,” he said.

However, Sanders was quick to point out that though the style will be new to the Maritzburg College system, it is not a move away from the brand that made the school a powerhouse for many years.

“Traditionally, we have always been strong in defence, with a strong back four. Now, we want to build on that foundation and build a more attacking and dynamic side,” Sanders explained.

The coach’s experience is not limited to school hockey. Sanders has 12 years of coaching the A section of the men’s provincial hockey teams under his belt and led the Maropeng Cavemen to two championship titles in the Professional Hockey League (PHL). He has also held the head coach position at Wits University and coached Premier League clubs in Southern Gauteng, including Jeppe, Crusaders, and Old Edwardian’s.

Sanders’ experience spans beyond coaching and has served as a national selector for multiple major tournaments and was the Convenor of Selectors for the South African Men’s Indoor Team.

Sanders’ predecessor, Kyle Emerson, will continue his coaching duties with the school and will lead the age group teams.

“The future of College hockey remains bright and we look forward to what Mark will bring to College First XI hockey going forward. College extends sincere gratitude and appreciation to outgoing First XI coach Kyle Emerson, for his many years of commitment and service to the College First XI,” the school said in a statement.