Netball girls’ rousing war cries for opposing team lauded

A durban parent has heaped praise on Kingsway High School’s netball girls for displaying fantastic spirit during an inter-school sports day.

Alan Edgar and Charlotte Pettifer’s daughter, Grace was playing a school netball tournament on Saturday, 6 May in Durban.

Her school, Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School, had won six of their seven games to win their way into the final.

Unfortunately that’s when the wheels came off. The school they were playing, Durban Girls High, were playing amazingly and the Convent girls were already 6-0 down.

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Grace’ parents said a rival school Kingsway High School, who the Convent girls had beaten in an earlier game, saw what was happening. “The Kingsway girls obviously thought the Fatima girls didn’t deserve to go down like this and they started to sing war cry songs and cheer for them,” they said.

Buoyed by the support, Fatima managed to score two goals by half-time, but it was still a welcome relief when the half-time whistle blew and they were ‘only’ 6-2 down.

“They trudged off the court with slumped shoulders, absolutely exhausted and the look on their faces said it all: We have nothing left. We’re done.

But somebody from the most unexpected quarter believed in them even when they didn’t.

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You could tell Fatima were a little shocked, seeing another school scream so supportively for them. It obviously gave them a lift and they scored the first goal in the second half to make it 6-3.”

Kingsway didn’t stop there and sang louder and louder. “Not only did they sing more goosebump-inducing war cries, but they learned the names of Grace’s teammates and started shouting support for each girl too.”

Kingsway’s support helped Fatima score again and they were back in the game at 6-4. Another goal to Fatima made it 6-5. Their opponents struck back with a goal of their own to make it 7-5, but with a finish worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster movie, Grace’s team netted two more and finally the winner just before the final whistle blew to clinch the win 8-7.

“The place went crazy,” said the parents. “We were so chuffed for what our child’s team had managed to achieve, but we were more happy to realise there are still children in the world who can demonstrate such incredible support and sportsmanship even when they have nothing to gain from it.

If we had our way Kingsway High School would have its name engraved onto that winning trophy too. What an amazing bunch of children.

To each of those girls, thank you for making our weekend. It’s a memory we will cherish for life. With all the negativity about South Africa we’re bombarded with every day, it’s great to share stories like this that make you realise there is still huge love being shared. We should maybe stop listening to the leaders of our country and take our cue from how the children do things.”