Wentworth girl (15) achieves national squad goal
The lass started playing soccer at the tender age of 9 while she was still a learner at Assegai Primary School and now is currently doing Grade 11 at Kloof High School.
“NEVER give up. Always lift your head up. Always be positive.”
This is the mindset that Ronnel Donnelly, who recently made the SA U17 team, wants aspirant athletes to have.
The 15-year-old caught the eye of talent scouts at a camp for U17 girls’ soccer in Bloemfontein where she was representing the province and just three weeks ago, she had her first screening, where she was one of the players to be further siphoned from a pool of 35.
“There were two of us who made the nationals shortlist but unfortunately the other girl got dropped in the next round. It was really tough there,” said Ronnel.
“It was a very pleasant experience, though, because it was fully sponsored and they made sure that we bonded as players. It wasn’t just about football, we were keeping afloat with our school work as well. We had a lot of friendlies that we won and I scored a hat trick in one of the matches.”
A dream now realised, the Wentworth teen said she never stopped believing that her soccer skills would one day land her a place in the national squad.
However, qualifying for the team came at a cost for her as sacrifices had to be made. Before she got the call for being shortlisted, her family was well underway into making arrangements for her netball tour in Dubai with the provincial team last year.
“We had to sit down and advise her because that was a tour and this was a national opportunity. It was a decision that she didn’t understand and she was upset,” said proud dad, Lewis who is her coach, mentor and biggest supporter.
The lass started playing soccer at the tender age of 9 while she was still a learner at Assegai Primary School and now is currently doing Grade 11 at Kloof High School and plays for the school’s soccer first team where she’s been hailed top scorer and player of the year.
Her other sporting interests are hockey, netball, touch rugby, athletics and had a stint with water polo in Grade 8 but had to stop because it clashed with her soccer training.
“My family is extremely proud of me and very excited. They spoil me every time I do well at sports.”
I’m all over their status updates every day since the announcement, they can’t stop posting me. I’m proud to have them as my family because they support me and are there at all of my games,” she said.
“I want for other learners to know that there are opportunities in sports and if they continue studying doors could open, let your talent make room for you.”
“We are proud of Ronnel as a local carrying the Durban south brand, and our initiative as parents is to inspire her to mentor the up and coming young sportsmen as we are involved in the coaching structure. Let’s create more Ronnels,” Lewis added.
For Ronnel, training is an everyday discipline although set intensities vary. The global coronavirus outbreak has put the team on pause as they were scheduled to play in the world cup in Italy and Mauritius.
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