POLOKWANE – Two players from Mentz Spartans Baseball Softball Club will fly the South African flag high in the US.
Jan ‘Manches ma sticks’ Matlou (17) and coach Steve Rankapole (31) have been selected as part of the u/18 boys team that will compete at the Baseball World Cup.
Matlou has played baseball for the past nine years and is excited for his inclusion in the team.
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Rankapole, who is the founder of the Spartans, has been involved as a coach and player for the past 10 years and will form part of the SA team as an assistant coach. “I have waited for this moment for so long and cannot wait to go out there and showcase my talents,” Rankapole explained.
The baseball duo leave for the US on September 6 and will be there for 13 days. “It is a good feeling to be selected to represent South Africa another country. I am excited to travel to Florida,” he added.
Spartans team manager Hendric Swafo said the club is affiliated with the Limpopo Baseball Union and that Matlou and Rankapole want to make the province proud.
“Thank you to the supportive parents, teammates and Thabang Letsoalo. He [Letsoalo] is a man who has supported us since the club was founded in 2013. He helps out whenever we are in need of anything related to the sport,” Swafo concluded.
