Curro Salt Rock launched its third-term sports programme with a series of spirited performances.

The results showcased the depth and talent of both its high school and primary school athletes.

Primary school head of sport, Phelelani Mtembu, expressed confidence in the junior sports teams: “It has been a solid start to the season,” said Mtembu.

“The quality of the sessions we have had with the players has been excellent. It’s not just football; it’s all our sports.”

Mtembu attributed the school’s success to its well-rounded sports programme.

“Our school’s fitness, strength and conditioning has contributed to the success of our teams,” he said.

Looking ahead, he is optimistic about the term’s fixtures.

“We have got some tough fixtures, with a couple of festivals thrown in. The goal is to maintain consistent performance, and the results will come,” added Mtembu.

Football

On Monday (July 28), Curro High School faced Crawford International North Coast in a series of football fixtures in Westbrook.

The girls’ 1st team emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, while the boys’ 1st team played out a hard-fought 2-2 draw.

The boys’ U15A team narrowly lost 1-0 in a tightly contested match.

Shaun Blignaut hailed the efforts of his team against tough opposition: “It was a positive start to the season. Our players exhibited enthusiasm, hunger and the will to improve,” said Blignaut.

He believes that as the season progresses and more games are played, team cohesion will improve, and Curro’s squads will go from strength to strength.

“Our first team girls showcased their skill and composure throughout their match. Our 1st team boys played a thrilling draw, reflecting both their fighting spirit and potential against quality opposition.”

Blignaut said the younger boys showed determination and teamwork: “They will grow with more game time,” he said.

Hockey

Curro’s primary school hockey teams travelled to Crawford International La Lucia on Thursday, where they faced a competitive set of matches.

In the boy’s fixtures, the 1st team played to a goalless draw against their hosts and the U11A team lost 1-0.

However, the Curro U10A team secured a 4-0 victory over their Durban North rivals.

Curro hockey coach, Sinqobile Zondi, said it was a productive season opener for the team: “We had some promising results,” said Zondi.

“However, we’ve identified areas for improvement and will focus on refining our skills and teamwork moving forward.”

On the girl’s side the 1st team edged the opposition 1-0 in an even contest. However, the 11A team found it hard going, losing 2-0

The U10A girls, despite being reshuffled in different positions, won 4-2.

“The first games of the season were tough, the girls were out of sorts, but there is a lot of room for improvement,” said hockey coach, Nicola Keyser.

“A lot of drills from practice are being implemented, which is showing in performances and results, especially for the 1st team.”

Mountain Biking

On Sunday, July 27, Curro Salt Rock participated in the opening event of the Cycle Lab Schools MTB Series, held at Waterfall College in Hillcrest.

Riders Damian Kluza, Natalie Kluza, Cody Maidman and Stephan Schulze represented the school.

Maidman finished first in his age group, winning a well-deserved gold medal, while Kluza won silver in her race.

School spokesperson Cindy Carbutt praised the athletes’ performances: “We are incredibly proud of our pupils’ efforts and can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds,” said Carbutt.

The series follows an XCO short track format. It is regarded as KZN’s premier inter-school mountain biking league, with five races scheduled for the 2025 season.

Tobias Lubbe, president of Schools Cycling SA, highlighted the significance of the event.

“We are very excited to have been afforded the opportunity to be part of the Cycle Lab High School MTB series,” said Lubbe.

The series is open to all public and private high schools from the U13 to U19 age categories and is fully sanctioned by Schools Cycling SA.

Upcoming races include the second leg on August 10 event at Maritzburg College and the third leg at Umhlali Preparatory School on August 24 before moving to Howick High School on September 7.

Piet Retief Hoërskool in Mpumalanga, will host the series finals on October 4 and 5.

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