St Peter’s College’s basketball has a new reason to celebrate as the first team girls have been nominated for the Team of the Year in the Johannesburg Women in Sports Awards announced on 5 September.
Now in its third year, the Women in Sports Awards, in partnership with the City of Ekhuruleni Sports Confederation, has now expanded to Johannesburg and the West Rand. Nomination forms could be filled out by the public, so long as they met the criteria.
Following an unbeaten streak for the last two seasons, captain and head girl, Natalie Molenaar said she was extremely excited upon hearing the team’s nomination in the Johannesburg Women in Sports Awards.
“I’ve played basketball for five years now at St Peter’s, and it’s just incredible to see how we have gotten better and better over the years. The first thing we wanted to do when we found out we were nominated was we each other and give each other a big hug and play one more game,” Molenaar said.
Coach of the team, Manny Bukweya said he knew the girls were due an award for their hard work in the last two seasons, and that the award is theirs.
“They have grown together. Their sisterhood has been the main core for them in the last two year. They have worked very hard and everything that has come to them is well earned,” said the proud coach.
“They trusted me when I came in, even when they weren’t passionate about basketball. I have always told them that when we go and compete, we’ve already won – we just need to go and get it.”
Manager in charge, Christelle van Schalkwyk expressed her immense pride at the team and said the team winning the award would open up more to take part in the sport at school.
“Knowing how far basketball has grown in St Peter’s, I definitely think it would open up the market for feeder school to see what the sport here is about. The sport is growing in the country, and it would definitely encourage more learners to come and join the sport,” said Van Schalkwyk.
Bukweya added that should the first team win the award, it would bring in hope for women’s basketball, and that audiences would want to watch the girls play as much as they watch the guys.
Before Covid-19 put a halt to all sporting activity in the school, Molenaar said the team was on the way to having another perfect season even with new players taking over.
“We had lost a few of our Grade 12 players, and seeing the way the new players stepped up was really great to see how they came in,” she said.
The award ceremony is set to take place on 25 September virtually.
