Sport stars of the month - June
Let’s Play, in association with various community newspapers, conducts a special initiative to give recognition to learners at either Primary or High school who excel in sport.
Play, physical education and sport are foundational to the holistic development of children and an initiative of this nature will establish a healthier community and encourage sports activity.
Schools wishing to participate in this initiative should submit a short letter with a motivation to their respective regional newspaper about why their learner should be the Sport Star of the Month.
Click here for more details.
Our winners for the month of June are:
Bloemnuus Let’s Play Sports Star: Kerryn-Courtney Ockhuis
Kerryn-Courtney Ockhuis (16) of Bloemfontein High School was chosen as June’s Let’s Play SuperSport Sport Star of the Month for Bloemnews.
Kerryn-Courtney is a multi-faceted sports woman who enjoys hockey, athletics and netball. She started playing hockey in grade 1 at the age of 7, with netball in grade 3, and with athletics in grade 6. Kerryn eventually decided to let go of the other sports and focus on her hockey. In 2009, she was awarded as the U/13A hockey girl of the year at Bloemfontein Primary School. In 2011 she was chosen for the same accolade for the U/16A team at Bloemfontein High School. Kerryn-Courtney has also been selected to be part of the Free State Hockey team earlier this year.
The support and encouragement she gets from her family and friends keep her going and help her to strive for excellence. Her sporting hero is Lesle-Ann George who plays midfielder for the South African U/21 hockey team. Her motto in life and sport practice is “Never let people discourage you when you have a passion”.
Express Bloemfontein Let’s Play Sports Star: Cazleo Shevan Ontong
Cazleo Shevan Ontong (13) of Petunia High School in Heidedal was chosen as June’s SuperSport Let’s Play Sport Star of the month for Express Bloemfontein. Cazleo is a young man who loves hockey, soccer and cricket. He started playing hockey in 2007 whilst in grade 3, first playing just for fun then started playing for his school, Brebner Primary. He also took part in cricket in the same year.
The world cup fever bit him in 2010 and he added soccer to his list of sports. He now plays for the U/18 hockey school team and the school’s U/14 cricket team. His sports heroes are Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, Cape Cobras ‘Justin Ontong and his former hockey coach, Warren Sangster. He dreams of being a pilot one day but says he will never stop playing sport. His life motto is “Score goals and grab every opportunity that comes your way.”
Eastern Free State Express Let’s Play sports star: Kamonelo Mohapi
Kamonelo Mohapi (15) from Mafube Intermediate School in Phuthaditjhaba has been chosen as the June winner of SuperSport Let’s Play Sport Star of the month for Eastern Free State Express.
Kamonelo is an ambitious soccer and chess player. Kamonelo started playing soccer as a toddler and still plays the game – especially with friends as after-school hobby. Kamonelo’s main sporting love is chess. He started playing chess in 2007. Kamonelo and his team won their first medal at Transnet Rural and Farm Schools Chess Competitions.
Kamonelo says his dad is his biggest inspiration as he keeps him motivated and confident. His sports hero is Mandla Zondo of the Free State Chess team. His life motto is “If someone else can do it, then so can I.”
Caleigh – Let’s Play star of the month
Being selected for the Western Cape netball team has earned Strand resident Caleigh Stuart DistrictMail’s Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month award for June.
Caleigh, a 13-year-old Strand High School pupil, was selected for the u.13 Western Province netball team on 8 May earlier this year and then for the Western Cape netball team on 19 May.
This dedicated netball player knew she had a passion for the sport when she picked up a netball for the first time as a seven-year-old Lochnerhof Primary School pupil in 2006.
“Whenever I had time I would play some netball with a few friends, and work at perfecting my shooting skills since I was never really good at it,” laughs Caleigh.
Caleigh’s talent was noticed by her Grade 5 teacher and u.11 netball coach ¬Jorina Van Zyl, who encouraged her to pursue a netball career. She then worked her way up from the C-team in Grade 5 to the A-team in her final year at Lochnerhof; she qualified to participate in the u.12 Helderberg netball trials, held at Dr GJ Joubert Primary School last year. Her sterling performance got her into the Western Province u.12 netball team.
Caleigh remembers playing her first big match on her 12th birthday, when the Western Province u.12 netball team competed against the Boland u.12 netball team.
She was also selected as an u.12 Western Cape player, and participated in a netball tournament held in Rustenburg recently. “The first day into the tournament I was selected as the best player of the day,” says Caleigh, who was also last year recognised as Lochnerhof Primary School’s netball player of the year.
Caleigh regards herself as a dedicated netball player who always gives her best and is always on time for practice sessions and matches. She has sessions four days a week, and receives professional seven-hour practices training from ¬Jolene Petersen.
“My dream is to one day form part of the South African netball team, and therefore I give my netball career my all,” explains Caleigh, who would like to express her gratitude towards everyone who supports her.
To her a life without netball is like life without technology. “I can’t imagine a life without technology – it would be so boring,” she muses.
Caleigh kicked started her June school holiday by participating in the interprovincial tournament held in Boksburg from 25 to 28 June.
