UWC will head into their third season of Varsity Netball with a squad heavily reliant on new members, says their captain Keesha van Schalkwyk.
Van Schalkwyk made an appearance on the Expresso Show on SABC3, alongside Maties captain Nichole Taljaard, with the conversation initially focused on how well the two Western Cape teams get along.
“It’s always very competitive between Maties and UWC, but there’s also great camaraderie because we’re quite friendly with each other,” Van Schalkwyk said.
The two teams will only meet in Round 5 as part of the ‘Bumper Weekend’ to be hosted by Tuks at their Rembrandt Hall, when cordiality is likely to be the name of the game no matter the outcome or state of the log.
“It’s awesome to have that understanding that everything that happened within a game happened with good spirit and that we can hug one another and remain great friends after a match,” the 22-year-old fourth year LLB Law student added.
Besides the fact that Van Schalkwyk will be captaining ‘UDubs’ for a second straight season (after taking over from 2017 captain Desmorine Gawanas), she will have only a few experienced hands to assist her. Besides fellow third year player Akhona Faye, only Namibian international Vendijhonga Katjaimo, Jami Vermeulen, Nthabiseng Sibeko and Gailynn Potts have Varsity Netball experience.
“For UWC it’s quite a challenge as the majority of our team are first years, so it will be really difficult to have to adapt to that this year,” Van Schalkwyk believes.
“Fortunately, we’ve had exposure to each other [like her vice-captain Courtleigh Behr, a former junior national player] and the experience at USSA and what we’ll be up against now. We had a rude awakening at USSA, but now we know what we’re in for and we’re going into the competition a bit more prepared to give it horns,” Van Schalkwyk revealed about their campaign when they finished sixth in July.
UWC squad: Cindy Amsterdam, Courtleigh Behr (vice-captain), Jade Carnow, Amber Coraizin, Aimee Cupido, Akhona Faye, Gillian Fortuin, Robyn Haupt, Vendjihonga Katjaimo, Heidi Kuzatjike, Gailynn Potts, Nthabiseng Sibeko, Keesha van Schalkwyk (captain), Jami Vermeulen, Joy Vermeulen – coach: Janine du Toit
UWC will start their Varsity Netball season on Monday, 26 August against returnees TUT. The game, which starts at 17:30, will be part of a double header at Kovsies’ Callie Human Centre and be broadcast live on SuperSport 10.
