Experienced campaigners, Busiwe Mayekiso and Megan Phillips, will have to play key roles in Border‘s pursuit of a better showing at the SASHOC Inter-Provincial Tournament.
Border, who will kick off their challenge against Western Province A on the opening day, Monday, 29 June, at Hilton College, will be aiming to play for more than survival this year.
In last year’s campaign, the side from KuGompo City finished in 10th place after going down 0-2 to Western Province B on the last day.
They’ll be led by coach Antonet Louw, who takes over the reins from Jerry Snyman, who has taken over as coach of the Border u16 team.
Louw, who plies her trade at Merrifield College, said she’s excited to lead Border and is eager to see her players test themselves against the best players from elsewhere in the country.
“This year just feels different,” she told SuperSport Schools News. “The support system and team management have made all the difference for me. I’m incredibly fortunate to have someone as experienced as Cheryl Pope alongside me.
“In fact, she’s one of the main reasons I decided to take on the u18s this year. With Cheryl’s guidance and the commitment of our management team, I truly believe our campaign is well-prepared and ready to take on this year’s U18 IPT.
“We’re excited about the challenge ahead and confident in the work we’ve put in leading up to the tournament.”
Mayekiso (Hudson Park) and Phillips (Clarendon) are the two players who were also members of the 2025 team. They played well in Pietermaritzburg, and Mayekiso’s form earned her selection for the SA u17 side that toured Malaysia and contested the Dato Mirnawan Cup.
“Both of them will bring valuable experience and leadership, and we’ll be looking to them to lead from the front,” said Louw, a former captain of Oranje, who scored a remarkable 300 goals in 194 matches for the Bloemfontein powerhouse, and also represented South Africa at the 2024 Olympic Games.
“We’re also realistic about the challenge ahead, as we’re taking a very young u17 group to the u18 IPT.
“However, we’ve put the right structures in place and equipped the players with the skills and confidence to compete, and we’re excited to see what they can achieve.”
Border, for the past couple of years, has found itself fighting to avoid relegation from the A-Section. That’s something that hasn’t crossed their minds this year, Louw said.
Instead of arriving in KwaZulu-Natal with a defensive mindset, they’ve opted to embrace the challenge, play with freedom, and give it their all.
“We don’t want the girls focused on survival or past perceptions,” she explained. “We know that none of our players come into the tournament with high rankings, but that doesn’t define us.
“Our focus is on trusting the process, backing the work we’ve done, and going to the IPT to compete, not just participate.
“At the end of the day, every player steps onto the field with the same opportunity, and we want our girls to play with belief, freedom, and confidence.”
Border faces stiff competition in pool B, where they’ll be tested by Western Province A, Southern Free State, KZN Coastal A, and Northern Gauteng B.
When asked about the brand of hockey spectators can expect to see from her side, coach Louw said: “We want to be competitive in every game, stay true to our structures, and make teams work hard for every opportunity.
“I think people can expect a hard-working, disciplined team that plays with plenty of energy and pride.
“Most importantly, I want the girls to enjoy the experience and show the character, resilience, and pride that Border hockey is built on.”
Team:
Amber Viviers, Holly McClure, Kate Booyens, Megan Phillips (Clarendon), Rachael Schwartz, Busiwe Mayekiso, Danica De Wet, Asiphe Zitumane, Oyindamola Olaborede (Hudson Park), Ambesa Jacob, Crystal Kruger (Merrifield College), Keeziah Essop (Queenstown Girls High), Julia Kockott, Sinothando Lujabe, Sadi-Mari Steyn, Mathibane Mqeni (Stirling High School).
