Stellies showed exactly why they are rated as one of the top netballing schools in the country when their under-19A side thumped rivals Durbanville High 51-11 in their annual inter-schools derby, last weekend.
Although sidelined by a knee injury, netball captain Zeandré Nel, 18, provided support and motivation from the sidelines during her side’s victory.
Zeandré, a Grade 12 pupil, said her team played well but there is always room for improvement.
“We had a good team spirit and great communication that played a big part in our victory,” she said.
Last month, Stellenberg’s under-19A side ended sixth at the SA Top Schools championships, in Johannesburg.
They qualified for the national tournament after finishing in the top three at the WC and WP Top Schools, at De Kuilen High, in Kuils River, earlier this year.
“I believe that it is not the strength of an individual player that is most important but the strength of the team and how they all function together,” said Zeandré.
The former Eversdal Primary School pupil has been a regular in the WP set up since she played under-13. She also made the national schools squad on two occasions.
The Stellenberg under-19A side will be favourites going into the Western Province High School netball finals, at Bellville High School, this weekend because they are the top ranked school in Cape Town.
However, their biggest test will come from De Kuilen, who beat them narrowly 21-19 earlier this year. “Although we are first in the super league we will have our work cut out. We need to show why we are number one in Cape Town and do our best,” said Zeandré.
Stellenberg qualified for the WP high school netball finals because they finished in the top four of their league.
Zeandré started playing netball at a young age, when her parents, Marlet and John, enrolled her at a netball clinic at Bellville High School.
“I did all kinds of sports like gymnastics, athletics and swimming, but in the end I chose netball,” she said.
On the academic front, Zeandré hopes to study mechatronic engineering at North-West University Potchefstroom campus, next year.
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