Students from Leifo Iziko Combined School in Reitz, Free State, seized a rare opportunity to compete internationally after being crowned winners of the Kay Motsepe Schools Netball Tournament last weekend.
The school’s under-15 netball team secured a 14-10 victory over Bokamoso Secondary School from Gauteng to secure a coveted spot at the International Youth Netball Challenge in Singapore in November.
The Kay Motsepe Schools Netball Championship National Finals took place from 15-17 August 2024 in Rustenburg, North West. The competition featured 36 schools representing all nine provinces across two streams: Botho and Ubuntu. Leifo Iziko Combined School’s hard-fought victory in this prestigious tournament is a reflection of their dedication and talent, and marks them as a force to be reckoned with in junior netball.
Leifo Iziko Combined School have consistently shown that they excel in school sports. They are the reigning champions of the Magnificent Wednesday school sports league and will be defending their title for the third year in a row. Their coach, Molebatsi Mofokeng, expressed his pride in the team’s performance and highlighted their determination to improve on last year’s second place.
“We worked very hard at the district level, where we secured the first place,” Mofokeng said. “This year, we were determined to take the first place. We stayed calm and focused, and kept our eyes on the prize: the trip to Singapore.
‘You can see that the talent is there’
“It was something we missed last year, and we said to ourselves that we’re going to Singapore this year. This win means a lot to us. They’re young girls, but you can see the talent is there.”
Free State Education MEC, Dr Mantlhake Julia Maboya, commended the team’s performance and stressed the importance of such initiatives in promoting the growth of women’s sports and the development of school sports. She noted that sports play a vital role in nurturing talent and encouraging healthy lifestyles among learners. Maboya also stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the equitable rollout of various sporting codes across all schools.
“While we commend the girls for their brilliant achievements, we must also thank the principal of Leifo Iziko Combined School, the school management team, the school board, the coach and the entire Reitz community for their support to these students,” said MEC Maboya. “We must encourage practical transformation in extracurricular activities.”
In addition to Leifo Iziko Combined School’s triumph, other top performing teams were also rewarded. Pietersburg Hoërskool from Limpopo and Monument High from Gauteng, who finished second and third in the Botho group, received R150,000 and R100,000 respectively. Similarly, Bokamoso Secondary and Chiawelo High from Limpopo, who finished second and third in the Ubuntu group, also won R150,000 and R100,000.
Bloemfontein Courant
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