East London netball star makes it into SA squad
East London youngster Asekho Njeza has been selected for the SA squad that will go to Fiji next year to contest the Netball World Youth Cup.
The Youth Cup, which was to take place in June, was postponed earlier this month to December 2021 due to continuing fears about Covid-19.
Njeza, 19, was thrilled but also a little nervous about the opportunity to represent her country.
“I feel very excited and anxious and just all over the place, honestly.
“I am very happy though, and a bit relieved that I have managed to achieve one of my goals in my five to 10-year plan, which is playing for my country.
“Now I need to make the team because I’m only in the squad now, but now I know what is expected of me and what more I need to do to make the [starting] team.
“My dream is to play for the senior national squad and I want to play in one of the Super Netball Leagues in Australia or England.”
Cambridge High School, where Njeza completed her matric last year, was delighted by the achievement of its former honours pupil, said vice-principal
Lizelle Prinsloo.
“We are quite ecstatic at Asekho’s selection for the SA team.
“She is an exceptional player and that is why we gave her honours last year.
“She started playing in the first team while she was in Grade 9.
“She was a goal shooter but last season converted to a defender and became the reason we won most of our matches.”
Njeza’s coaches at the school last year, Phumla Klaas, said: “Asekho has always proven that she will be great; she was always improving, from making various Border teams to the Eastern Cape team and now SA.
“She has always been the best player in the team since she started playing in the first team.”
When asked whom she attributed her SA selection and success to, Njeza said: “It has to be my mother and the two coaches that I have learnt the most from and will continue to learn from, and they are my high school coach Mrs Phumla Klaas and my varsity coach Mrs Lana Krige.
“[Thanks also goes to] my family members, who were always there to support me,” Njeza, who attended Hudson Primary, said.
Prinsloo lauded Njeza for her drive and hard work.
“She is a hard worker and deserves this.
“[As a first team player and senior] she was always at the U14 matches to cheer them on and give back by assisting where necessary and giving pointers to the young ones. I commend her for that.”