Alberton High School hosted its Summer Sports Awards on May 6, where learners were recognised for their hard work, dedication and achievements across various sporting codes.

The evening celebrated athletes involved in badminton, swimming, multi-terrain cycling, cross-country, basketball, football, touch rugby, softball, cricket and athletics.

The evening also included one of the school’s highest sporting honours, the White Blazer award, which was presented to football player Sethabile Kamwande.

Sethabile has been involved in SAFA U17, U20 and U23 national team structures since 2017 and recently represented the South African U20 national team in Ghana during a FIFA U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament.

One of the athletes recognised was Skye Dickson, who placed second in the SA Schools 400m championships and will represent South Africa in the United States in August.

Skye said she is thankful for the achievement and the support she received along the way.

“I’m grateful that I came second at nationals, even though I feel as if I could have done better. I know there are things I can still work on, and I’m willing to do extra training during these next few months,” she said.

She added that injuries and setbacks helped her grow stronger and more confident.

“Last year I lacked confidence, but coming second at SA Schools proved to me that I worked on myself and came back stronger and better,” said Skye.

Badminton players received special recognition after changes to last year’s SA Schools Badminton Championships schedule affected league arrangements and delayed some awards from the previous winter season.

Several learners received gold certificates, colours and trophies for their performances and commitment to the sport.

Among the top badminton award winners were Dominic Immelman and Kirsty Correia, who received the best player awards for the boys’ and girls’ A teams.

In swimming, learners were awarded for strong performances at Inter High competitions and provincial events.

Daniel Katzke received colours after representing Central Gauteng Aquatics at the SA National Youth Championships in Gqeberha and was also named best overall swimmer.

The school’s multi-terrain cycling team was recognised for finishing among the top schools in the Cycle Lab High School Series, despite competing with a smaller team than many others.

Daniel Bellamy was awarded the best cyclist after achieving a top 20 overall placing in his category.

Cross-country athletes were also honoured for their performances at the district level, while basketball players received awards for dedication, improvement and excellence throughout the season.

Football awards celebrated several learners for their performances in the school’s U16 and U19 teams, while touch rugby players were recognised for league victories and provincial selection.

The awards evening ended with applause from proud parents, teachers and learners as the school celebrated another successful sporting season.