Undoubtably the unluckiest player to miss out on a spot in this year’s Protea World Cup squad was Shadine van der Merwe.
Last week at the SA senior tournament in Margate, she nevertheless proved just what kind a player she is when she was named the Player of the Tournament.
Van der Merwe, who plays goal defence, will captain UP-Tuks in this year’s Varsity Netball Series.
With the Proteas not in action again in 2015 she had little to prove and play for in Margate, but that did not deter her from putting in the performances game after game.
The popular Van der Merwe, also known as Shasha, was 2014 Players’ Player of the Varsity Series and named in the Team of the Tournament.
She continued that good form into the Brutal Fruit Series with the Gauteng Jaguars and was awarded with the Best Defender of the Series.
She made her debut for the Proteas in May at the European Championship and a month later played for them at the Diamond Challenge in Margate, where she however did not get a lot of playing time.
The feeling though was that she should make the team to Australasia, but then the shock omission.
“I went to Margate with the mindset that I do not have to prove anything to anyone. I simply wanted to give my best for my young teammates and didn’t want to focus to be on me. The idea was to go and enjoy myself,” the 22 year-old said.
That she certainly did as she almost always do ¬ very few other players play with such a big smile and enjoyment as Shadine van der Merwe.
She takes over the captaincy from goal shooter Melissa Myburgh who had to withdraw from the World Cup team due to the knee injury.
Apart from Myburgh, who may possibly return towards the latter part of the series, there are also other big names missing from 2014’s second place campaign – the Proteas Lindie Lombard and Vanes-mari du Toit who is both too old and Du Toit also left Pretoria for the Cape, Shenel Bouwer, Romé Dreyer (NWU-Pukke) and Jeanie Steyn who had a very good Brutal Fruit Series and was unlucky not the make the national team.
UP-Tuks: Goal Shooters: Ine-Marie Venter, Lenize Potgieter, Yolandé du Preez;
Centre Court: Izette Lubbe, Lungile Mthembu, Marelize de Bruin, Zanne-Marie Pienaar, Tshina Mdau; Defenders: Jancke Penning, Geraldine Odendaal, Shadine van der Merwe (captain), Jasmine Ziegelmeier.
By Ruan Bruwer, Volksblad
