Ever wondered who the tallest or shortest player in Varsity Netball 2016 were, what school produced the most players, what the most popular study course is or which players share a birthday? Well here you go!
Deancke Rohde (University of Johannesburg) and Sigi Burger (NWU-Pukke) who both play shooter were the joint tallest players at 1.93m. Only one other player, Ine-Marí Venter of UP-Tuks, is taller than 1.90 meters. The shortest player was Nkhumeleni Tshamano of the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) at 1.50m.
Three schools, two from Pretoria (Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool and Waterkloof High) and one from Cape Town (De Kuilen High) produced the highest number of players (four each) in the series. La Rochelle Girls’ High, DF Malan High and Stellenberg High, all from the Western Cape, had three former learners each playing Varsity Netball this year.
A large group of netball players would like to go into teaching with sport and law also a popular choice. Sixteen students are entered into B. Ed, 11 into Sport Science, nine are studying law, six do psychology and five sport management.
The biggest age group (30 of them) are the babies of 1997, closely followed by the 1996 group consisting of 28. The oldest player at the start of the competition was Jermina Nteso of VUT who was 25 years and six months old. The youngest was Sibulele Mandeka of the Madibaz (18 years and five months).
The month of January is the most popular one for future netball players to be born. No less than 18 of the 116 players that participated in the competition were born in January. April had 15. October with five has the least birthdays.
Alicia Puren (Kovsies, 1995) and Carla Werth (Maties, 1997) are both new year babies. Kirsty Macnab and Phumzile Shandu, both from UCT, were born on Christmas Day.
The date 23 February produced three talented netball players who all have been chosen for a national team this year. Sigi Burger (Pukke, 1996) played for the Proteas, Khomotso Mamburu (Kovsies, 1995) did duty for the national U21 team and Bianca Blom (Madibaz, 1997) was recently selected for the SA U20 team.
Shongile Hlungwana of Tuks and Silondile Mlondo of VUT share the same birthdate – 14 April 1996. At Maties Abeline Olivier and Nelandré Mostert were new born babies on the same day (21 December). just one year apart.
In the UJ team Courtenay Davis and Kim-roché Holmes share a birthday on 29 July. They were born one year apart. Philene van Niekerk of the Madibaz also has her birthday on this day. Juzelri Garbers of Tuks and Deidré Fourie of Kovsies both made their appearance on earth on the 1st of August 1997. Micaela Peters of UCT was born three years bef
