Cloverdene resident Kyle Solan has been selected to represent the Gauteng u-21 men’s team at the South African Canoe Polo Championships in Cape Town on March 5 and 6.
Kyle started playing canoe polo in 2019 after he was invited to an event by his fellow canoe polo player Declan Taylor.
“My friend was already doing it and he invited me to try. I enjoyed it and just carried on.
“This sport has made me fit and since I started, I have gained confidence. When I started playing, I couldn’t paddle correctly. Over the years, I have gotten better,” he told the City Times.
His mother, Natalie, told the paper that Kyle has progressed well from the first competition he took part in.
“When they do canoe polo, they have to roll. They sit in the canoe and fall over. They have to learn how to fall back and for the first two years, he couldn’t do it. Now, he has been excellent.
“During his first SA championships in Knysna, he and Declan were unsure of playing. They were nervous, and it was challenging for them. But they have grown and now play, challenging for the ball and pushing people around,” she said.
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Kyle took part in the 2020 Arnold Classic Africa and his team won in their age group. They also won the 2020 SA u-16 championship held in Shongweni in KwaZulu-Natal.
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