South Africa’s U18 women’s water polo players are immersed in preparation for the Youth World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, writes MARK ETHERIDGE.
The team has just finished a three-day training camp in Durban where they took on various boys’ school teams and will have a further camp in Johannesburg from 21-25 August to fine-tune their skills before leaving at the end of the month.
In their pool tournament, South Africa will face Russia, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Fortunately, the team will take to the skies in high spirits, having had good preparations.
The majority of the team have been together for three years and created an exciting and positive environment.
Pearson High’s Luke Manthe has been coach of this team since they played in the CANA Zone IV Tournament in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in February last year.
Since then, the team have played the EU U17 Tournament held in Prague, Czech Republic, sadly losing to England in the final.
Prior to the EU Tournament in 2016, the team travelled to New Zealand to participate in the Pan Pacs Tournament held in Auckland.
They also attended African Qualifiers in Durban, winning the series 3-0 against Zimbabwe and were also entered as a squad in the senior ladies division of the Currie Cup.
Said an excited Manthe: ‘The girls have worked really hard and have remained committed to the programme. The journey building to World Champs has been a positive one and we look forward to making our country proud!
Says team centre-forward Hannah Reid, a pupil at Pearson High: ‘It’s a great honour to be able to represent my country at such a high level. It’s also such a wonderful opportunity to be able to be coached by one of the best coaches in South Africa, as well to play with girls from other provinces to make an unstoppable team for World Champs.
‘The most recent camp that took place in Durban was very worthwhile. The girls who attended were all very eager to play with each other again, as we all made the SA team in the EU U17 tournament in Prague.
‘The team vibe was wonderful and everyone was pleased to see each other and to begin playing as a team again.
‘The camp was intense, as we all wanted to do so much in a limited time as we all needed to go to school immediately as we are all in our matric year and are busy studying for trials and finals.
‘Our coach was very passionate in regards to what was needed to be done and was continuously pushing us to keep improving during the camp and to have a proper understanding of tactics and drills.
‘Thankfully we were given the opportunity to play matches against Durban Girls College, Northwood and Michaelhouse to put our tactics to the test. The results were instantaneous as the team were able to play with each other with ease and the tactics were implemented efficiently.’
Reid said the team had specific areas to work on. ‘Due to the stronger and more experienced teams we will be playing against in Serbia, we focused mainly on defensive tactics and techniques to be able to maximise our defensive abilities to ensure that SA will be able to stand their ground against the opposition. We managed to implement the tactics successfully and managed to practise the techniques during the matches.
‘I’m very excited for the upcoming World Championship. It’s a major opportunity to be able to go overseas and to play and learn at the heart of water polo. I will have the opportunity to meet coaches and players of an international level and to learn so many different things from them.’
Reid will line up for the World Championship on the back of playing water polo for five years now. And she’s blazed her trail with Manthe as school and now national coach.
‘I’m extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to be able to play for my country. It’s been a longtime dream of mine to be able to play at world championships, and I now have the opportunity to play at an international level. I’m grateful for the chance to compete and I’m grateful for the support I receive from my family and friends.
‘The whole team is extremely excited for the tour. We’ll learn so much from the trip and we can improve ourselves as players and as people. It’s wonderful to have a coach who is so passionate about polo and who is always eager to improve us as water polo players of South Africa.
‘Personally as I prepare for the tournament, I follow this saying: “A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination and hard work”.’
Also in the squad is newbie Anastasia Tambo from Roedean School in Johannesburg.
Says the Grade 11 pupil: ‘Having the honour of being picked for World Champs has been both exciting and thrilling.
‘Going to the training camp in July was nerve-racking and exciting. I was really keen to meet everyone in the team and learn more about those who are playing with me and how we can play together, but I was also nervous because I’m the youngest in the team [at 16 years old] and I felt like a lot was expected from me.
‘When I got to the camp, all the girls there made me feel safe and secure and part of the team. On the other hand, playing with them took some getting used to as everyone on the team play like machines! I can’t wait for what’s to come at the next camp, and at World Champs!’
Photo: The team for world champs by Bruce Herbert
Back row: Nontobeko Masuku (manager), Hannah Reid, Nthatisi Mota, Kate Hinrichs, Leila Fernandes, Anastasia Tambo, Tasmin Waite, Luke Manthe (coach)
Front row: Paige Tancrel, Ana Trninic, Kari Steyn, Emma Herbert.