The pitch is where her heart is
Young and enthusiastic cricket star leaves a positive mark and thrives in new school inspiring little girls.
Women in male-dominated sports seem to be excelling all around. It’s safe to say the future of women in sports is in good hands.
Delyni Venter is a 13-year-old who plays cricket and rugby and seemingly is an inspiration to girls her age. As a former learner of Trinity House Little Falls, she was an inspiration to most girls in her age group who wanted to thrive in cricket and rugby.
Her mother , Lyndie Venter, enrolled her to play mini-rugby at her request . However, when the teacher called all the boys to get ready for mini rugby, she said that girls can’t play rugby. This led to her mother demanding to know where it says that only boys can play rugby so they allowed me to play.
“I saw how dedicated my daughter was to sports and I was not going to allow such rules to deprive her of exploring her talents in different sports,” says Lyndie.
She started playing cricket with the boys from Grade One to Eight as there was no girls cricket team. She persuaded the Head of Sport in the Senior College to start a girls cricket team.
” My inspiration really comes from wanting to prove the boys wrong. Along the line, I fell in love with the sports and found my passion for it. As for the girls team, a lot of girls came up to me, asking me about cricket and told me how they wanted to play, but were intimidated and afraid of the boys. So I decided to ask if we can make up a girls team”, she says.
Her coach Craig Currin felt compelled to at least try the girls team because of Delyni’s enthusiasm and determination to get things moving. He listed a number of requirements, which she not only met but surpassed. This resulted in the Ashton College Ballito’s inaugural girls cricket team being prepared to compete against other schools in less than a season .
Dominating the cricket girls team in her current school in Ashton International College in Ballito, she remains consistent by dedicating her love and passion for sport.
“I want to make the KZN Girls Dolphin Cricket Team by the end of next year. I would also like to make Student Head of Sport at the end of Form 4. My advice to young girls who wish to play in most male-dominated sports, is to not give up and to never let boys intimidate you”.
