MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Bubbly, polite and charming, Naledi Thatho (15) says she was born ready to take on the Western Cape Netball Championships, set to take place later this month.
Although she is currently healing from an injury to her knee, sustained during a previous game, Naledi has not let it slow her down at all.
She told Mossel Bay Advertiser playing netball is a passion she has had for years. She first began playing at age eight at Imekhaya Primary School in Mossel Bay.
Now a learner of Garden Route High School, Naledi has continued to nurture this passion, which has led to her selection for the upcoming netball championships.
She attends netball practice every day after school, which begins at 15:00 and ends at 16:00. She makes sure that she has started on her homework by 17:00.
Travelling to other schools for games can be tiring, but Naledi says she enjoys every minute of it, especially spending the time with her friends and teammates.
Before stepping onto the court for a game, Naledi says she is nervous at first, but the buzzing energy and excitement quickly calm her nerves.
Her favourite thing about playing netball comes down to her teammates. "Even if I don't know them very well, there's great communication with one another when we play," she says. "We may disagree sometimes, but there's a trust between us."
When Naledi learnt she had been selected for the upcoming netball championships, she was initially ecstatic. However, there are worries about the costs.
But Naledi has faith that she and her mother, Dikeledi, will be able to figure something out. "She's everything to me," says Naledi of her mum. "She's always been supportive."
As the youngest of two, Naledi is the only one in her family playing netball. She hopes to continue with this sport well into the future, even after she has matriculated.
"I will always choose netball," she says, confidently and firmly. "I'm ready - I was born ready."
Anyone who would like to make a financial contribution towards Naledi's expenses for the upcoming Western Cape Netball Championships may contact Dikeledi on 083 741 9125.
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