Alicia makes SA netball squad
Alicia will be in action next weekend when the SPAR Proteas meet Wales in a three-Test SPAR International Challenge at the ICC in Durban.
Toti netball player Alicia Puren was selected to the SA women’s netball team after she helped her Free State team Crinums win the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League at the Durban Ice Arena last month.
“I was so honoured because it’s something I have been working towards since the start of my career,” said the ex-Amanzimtoti High School pupil. “I am so excited to be part of something so great and look forward to the challenge.
It was definitely a surprise to make the senior side as I wasn’t expecting it. To make the U21 team would have been enough, but when I was announced in the senior squad I was so surprised and extremely excited.
It was an amazing journey to help the Crinums to win the league. It was an honour playing with them and I’m so proud to have been part of something as honorable as the Crinums. We worked hard and we achieved the goals we set for ourselves.”
Alicia was first selected for the KZN netball team in 2009 when she was in grade 8 and every year of her high school career.
She made the U20 SA team in 2014 for the region five games in Zimbabwe, and captained the team to win silver at the tournament.
She is currently studying FET phase education with psychology and zoology as majors at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.
Alicia will be in action next weekend when the SPAR Proteas meet Wales in a three-Test SPAR International Challenge at the ICC in Durban.
The Proteas last played Wales in the Netball World Cup in Sydney last year, when South Africa beat Wales 60-38. South Africa also beat Wales in the European Championships in Belfast last year.
The Proteas have played Wales 11 times, winning every time and are currently ranked fifth in the world while Wales are eighth.
At the moment Alicia is participating in a training camp with her Protea teammates at Danville Park Girls High School.”The training camp has been going well,” said Alicia. “It’s tough but I am learning a lot and I look forward to using the skills on court.
I think we have a really good team and if we set goals and work hard at achieving them, we stand a very good chance against Wales.”
The matches will be played on Friday, 17 June, Saturday, 18 June and Sunday, 19 June. Tickets for the matches cost R20 and are available from Computicket.
