Rockstars soccer, netball!

Over over 30 soccer and netball teams from various parts of the province will descend on Rhodes University campus for the inaugural Rhodes Rockstars tournament this weekend. A Rhodes staff initiative organised as a fundraiser for the netball team, the competition is set to become an annual event. Rhodes Staff netball coach and tournament organiser Nomatamsanqa Fanisi anticipates at least eight competing teams in the soccer and women’s netball competitions, as well as six men’s netball sides.

The winners of the soccer and women’s netball tournaments will each receive R1000 and a floating trophy. There is no prize money at stake in the men’s netball competition, but the winners will receive a trophy. Both netball tournaments will have group stages, but the soccer competition will be a straight knockout.

Fanisi, a nurse at the Rhodes Health Care Centre, played down Rhodes Staff’s chances in the women’s netball tournament. “There are stronger teams than us from Fort Hare and Uitenhage," she said, "and another local team called Netters, who are also strong.”

The tournament will start at 9am tomorrow, with registration starting at hour earlier

Although she may not have a significant amount of faith in her own side’s ability to win, Fanisi hopes that everyone who attends will be thoroughly entertained and that the tournament will have a positive impact on workers in the community.

“We’ve invited employees of the companies around Grahamstown, such as Hi-Tec, Makana Brick, and Pick n’ Pay [to promote] wellness through sport,” she said.