Shayamoya High aiming to reach for the stars

Shayamoya High School is like no other Botho school in the DStv Schools Netball Challenge. The school from a disadvantaged area in KwaZulu Natal is determined to make a name for itself despite their circumstances.

The team based in the rural Shayamoya Area Location in Kokstad has been impressive in the province winning from in the different stages of the DSNC to reach the national finals. The DSNC is a partnership between MultiChoice and SA Schools Netball. Shayamoya and other KZN and Western Cape Schools missed out on the inaugural DSNC competition in 2021 as both provinces suffered from severe floods. They made their debut in the tournament in 2023.

Although they reached the national finals, they only finished 18th on the overall standings. Their campaign to the 2024 national finals saw them not only win in their district but the provincial finals too. Their appearance in the 2024 edition was spectacular, only losing to eventual champions, Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria in the group stages. They beat a more established Hoërskool Brandwag to finish second in the group.

They continued great form in the knockout stages beating Hoërskool Secunda and Paarl Girls' High to secure the fifth position in the overall standings. Shayamoya played a total of seven matches and lost only two.

Coach Berto Mnikina says their passion is what drives the team even though the team lacks resources.

“We are surviving in netball because we are passionate about the sport. As teachers, we mostly use our own resources to fund and sustain the team. When we travel outside of the district we use mostly our own money to provide transport and food,” says Mnikina.

Captain Kwakhe Njeje says the team is built of tenacious players who want to get better with every competition.

“It’s a great team. It is a wonderful team to be part of. I think we are fighters, we always want to be the best versions of ourselves. We believe in ourselves and we always fight for what we want. We go for everything. Each and every centre pass counts, every turnover counts,” says Njenje.

Mnikina says in their quest to expose more young girls to the sport, they scout the nearby villages to get girls who can play for the school. He says passion and discipline is quite important and that is what keeps the team strong.

“We live in a rural area where villages are far apart from each other, so sometimes we have to take the kids to live in our homes so that they can play. Getting them from the other villages to come and study at Shayamoya to create a strong team. We don’t have much but we rely on the nutrition programme from the school, that is how we survive to provide them lunch. We also have good relationships with their parents, the partnership makes it easy to run the team with the support of the parents,” he explains.

The skipper says the team took a lot from this year’s competition and has helped them improve.

“This year’s tournament was fun and exciting to be part of. I think we learnt a lot, it made us be the best we can be,” she says.

2024 DSNC results:

Shayamoya 35-20 Brandwag

Shayamoya 43-06 Lambalati

Affies 24-22 Shayamoya

Shayamoya 48-04 Kgapamadi

Menlopark 26-16 Shayamoya

Shayamoya 39-12 Secunda

Shayamoya 29-19 Paarl Girls

Previous competitions

2023- DStv Schools Netball Challenge- 18th

2024 DStv Schools Netball Challenge- 5th position

2022 Kay Motsepe Schools Netball- silver medallists

2023 Kay Motsepe Schools Netball- 9th position

2023 Absa Wildeklawer- 4th position

2024 Absa Wildeklawer- champions