When Oluchi aims, she always shoots
NORTHCLIFF – The young athlete was named as part of the U12 Gauteng School Netball Team.
The ball is firmly in Oluchi Ndubueze’s court.
The young athlete has been selected for the U12 Gauteng schools netball team and will take part in the South African Schools National Championships later this year.
Her love for the sport started when she was younger when she would watch her older sisters play netball. “In Grade R, I attended a netball clinic at school which was [conducted] by Netgirlies and through that, attended a inter school Grade R tournament and never looked back.”
Along with netball, Oluchi also takes part in athletics track and field (sprints and long jumps), indoor and outdoor hockey as well as tennis.
To give herself the best chance to be selected for this provincial schools team, she made sure to attend netball skills training, and maintained her fitness which included speed work and strength training.
“Our family friend [lent] us equipment I could use at home such as a speed and agility ladder and mini hurdles which I used during lockdown to ensure that I am quick enough,” she said. She added that she had recognised that in a sport where height matters, she knew she had to work very hard to showcase her elevation, skill and abilities to the selectors.
Oluchi said the process of making the Gauteng team was a long one which consisted of numerous trials. After surviving various eliminations, she progressed to the first round of Gauteng trials where all the top players from all the provinces’ 16 districts took part, and that’s when she made the squad.
She had only but dreamed of the day that she would be selected for her province. “When I was 10 years old, I was inspired by a girl from my school as well twins close to our family who made the Gauteng teams for two years in a row.”
Watching them play at various tournaments, Oluchi knew she wanted to be part of something that big. So when the team was announced and her name was included, she felt extremely happy as a dream of hers had finally come true and her hard work had paid off.
“Gauteng province has so much talented and strong players and many rounds of trials and to make a team of 30 from this strong province is really a great achievement and I am grateful to God for this opportunity.”
For her, what makes netball different is that there is no individual pressure such as in athletics. “I always look forward to playing netball as I have made special friendships with girls from different parts of Gauteng, different races, cultures and beliefs.”
She said this sport had helped her understand how different people were and differences could always be overcome as a team.
Netball, she concluded, had taught her self-discipline.
