Alberton junior bowlers bring home medals from President’s Cup
Five junior bowlers from Alberton Bowling Club were once again invited to the prestigious President's Cup, where they proved their talent with a medal-winning performance in Boksburg.
The Alberton Bowling Club is celebrating its rising stars after all five of its junior district players were invited to compete at this year’s exclusive President’s Cup – and brought home a full set of medals.
Hosted by Ekurhuleni Bowls at Boksburg Bowling Club on August 2 and 3, the invitation-only tournament saw Alberton juniors clinch gold, silver and bronze in an outstanding display of talent and determination.
“This is such a proud moment for us,” said club president Marius Coetzee. “All five of our juniors are district players and all five got invited again to the President’s Cup. That in itself is a big achievement.”
The young players representing Alberton were Daymain Coetzee, Kaylee Coetzee, Shaun Coetzee, Bandile Dlamini and Cebo Madlala – a close-knit group that has trained and played together for the past two years.
Medal winners from Alberton:
Gold – Shaun Coetzee
Silver – Cebo Madlala
Bronze – Banele Dlamini
“All the players did exceptionally well,” said Marius. “They held their own and their results show the level of talent coming through at Alberton.”
The President’s Cup, hosted annually by the president of Ekurhuleni Bowls, is not open to the public. Players must be invited based on their performance and merit. The event kicked off with group stages on Saturday, followed by knockout rounds including quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
The Alberton juniors, who compete in the U18 and U25 age categories, credit their success to focused training, teamwork and the support of their coach, former Springbok bowler Jenny Jones.
“Every Wednesday after school, we practise with Jenny,” explained Kaylee Coetzee. “She teaches us what we’re doing wrong, helps us fix our deliveries and guides us through everything.”
Kaylee said mental preparation was just as important as physical practice. “I don’t practise much the days before a competition – it throws me off. But we’ve been practising a lot overall.”
Cebo Madlala shared his approach: “Our goal is to win gold, and if we don’t, we take it from there. We focus on our game plan, not the opponents, and just have fun. Bowls is mostly a sport of luck – anything can happen on the day.”
Marius believes bowls has the power to include and uplift. “There are many kids who don’t fit into traditional school sports. Bowls offers a space for them to be part of something and compete. Even children with disabilities can play. It’s a sport for everyone.”
Kaylee encouraged more young people to give it a try: “It takes your mind off things. Stress from school or home – it really helps.”
The Alberton juniors also compete in Ekurhuleni district competitions and Gauteng challenges, training year-round with passion and discipline.
“We’re incredibly proud of them,” said Erika Coetzee. “They played very hard, and they deserve this.”
