PAHS netball team ends off season in perfect style with unbeaten run
Special assembly held for squad
The Port Alfred High School first netball team is still glowing with pride after receiving a rousing welcome from fellow pupils at the school’s hall recently after recording an unbeaten 2023 season.
That experience, when pupils who jam-packed the hall stood up from their seats before breaking out into song and applause as the netball team walked into the hall, will forever stay etched in the memories of team members.
The team’s legion of fans brought the house down when the first team players stood at the front of the packed hall to reveal cards that spelt out the word “unbeaten”.
“I think that experience was the highlight of my whole school career,” said team captain Jadelyn Shuman with a broad smile on her face.
Her vice-captain Abenathi Maneli agreed, saying: “I really enjoyed that it was truly special.”
Going through a season unbeaten was no mean feat for PAHS’ netball outfit.
“In the beginning it was a new team coming in. We had lost a few matrics [who finished school the previous year]. Our team mostly consists of matric girls so with a newish team we had get to know each other’s game.
“But despite that, the season was really good and we all gelled well on court. It was hard work,” Shuman said.
She plays in the goal defender position.
“One of our main rivals is Gill College. Last year they beat us and this
year we managed to turn the tables in the second-last game — and that helped us end the season unbeaten.”
The 17-year-old Shuman, who started playing netball in grade 7, and has represented SA at U19 level, said she harboured ambitions of being selected for the senior SA netball team.
“To be part of the dynamics at SAU19 level and seeing for myself what professional netball is all about …I really did enjoy that experience.
“A fellow team member, Avuzwa Booi will soon be representing SA at U21 level.
“We don’t often hear girls saying that they would like to pursue netball in the future but these types of achievements can probably change that.”
Shuman, who is also an accomplished tennis player, said that netball at PAHS is not too high up the pecking order compared to rugby but “this achievement of our team has really brought out the name of netball at this school”.
The 17-year-old Maneli, a goalkeeper, who has represented EP Schools at various times, said the fact that the PAHS netball team is prepared to learn from mistakes and not to take them personally, is an enduring strength of their side.
“We, as a team, are able to point out each other’s mistakes without anyone getting upset. Being willing to fix those mistakes is what makes us gel as a team,” Maneli said.
Shuman said: “You’d often hear someone saying to a team member when a mistake has been made during a game, ‘hey watch your passing’… but actually it’s ok, because we remind each other that ‘hey, it’s a mistake, forget about it’.
“And Abenathi is good with that. Even if players get irritated, she is the one who will say to them: ’It’s ok, let’s just get on with it’.”
The two teammates maintain that there is no substitute for hard work when it comes to achieving success.
“There is a lot of fitness involved.
“We run cross-country during every practice session; we have a machine called the ‘red devil’ that’s where we do the beep test to check the fitness levels of the players. Our fitness levels are of a high standard we all reached level 12 in terms of fitness which is the highest criteria at national level.
“To play in the national team you have to reach level 12 and we passed that level,” Shuman said.
Shuman and Maneli praised their netball coach, Yvanda Stander, for her dedication, leadership and guidance throughout the season.
“We are extremely thankful for the time and effort our coach puts in.
“She takes off from work to coach us and to prepare us for games. On game days, she umpires all netball games, so her help and participation in netball are huge for the school.
“She also conducts training camps with our teachers to coach umpires and coaches,” Shuman said.
“Her humility is really an eyeopener. She will always motivate us to ‘just play your game and not to worry about the opponent in front of you’. We would really like to thank her for her selflessness and the time and effort she puts into this team.”
Shuman said it was important for her to give all the glory to God for making all things possible as well as to thank her team for their effort throughout the season.
Though Shuman and Maneli have brought the curtain down on their netballing careers with PAHS now that they too are finishing matric this year, they are filled with immense pride with having ended off their school netball playing days in fine style.
“We are very happy. We leave behind a settled team with a great future,” the two players agreed.