Volleyball Team Credits Academy for Women’s Division Winning Gold

UKZN’s Women’s Volleyball team has won gold at the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Games – a first for the University in the division at the championships.

Following years of hard work, persistence, determination and grit, the team has become no stranger to breaking records having made waves in 2022 when they became the first KwaZulu-Natal women’s unit to win gold at the National Club Championships.

UKZN’s Senior Sport Officer Ms Roshnee Naicker said winning the national title was incredibly special for them, particularly as they look forward to celebrating the Volleyball Academy’s 10^th year anniversary.

Having long been known as the home of volleyball in the province, UKZN established the Volleyball Academy in 2016 with the aim of developing talent from high school and seeing it through to university and club level.

Naicker said almost half of the squad players who had helped the team achieve monumental feats had been developed through the Volleyball Academy.

She said the programme had initially started with 10 young women from Grade 10 upwards, and grown in leaps and bounds over the last nine years, with the incorporation of young men as well.

Currently, the Volleyball Academy has 40 women and 20 men enrolled in the programme which runs annually from February to October.

Head Coach Mr Marcellino Harold thanked the Volleyball Academy for being a feeding scheme for talent retention of first team players. “The Academy team is also coached by first team players, making their transition from development to club level a lot smoother as they know what to expect.”

Harold encouraged the development team to be consistent in their training sessions, draw inspiration from their coaches and to make sure that they perfect the technical aspect of their training in order to graduate to the first team.

Having established the UKZN Volleyball Team as one of the powerhouses at club and university level, Harold said: “We have to continue to strive to ensure that we maintain these standards by consistently working hard and pushing the boundaries because the team has the players, and technical and administrative staff to grow from strength-to-strength and to continue to be successful.”

USSA First Team Captain, Ms Itumeleng Motlokoa, who was awarded her Honours in Supply Chain Management at this year’s UKZN Spring Graduation, said the team had reached the finals at least five times. “At the beginning of this year we knew we had all the missing pieces together – for a winning team and it was now or never. It took a lot of work, but we pushed harder than most seasons and achieved our goal, and I couldn’t have asked for a better send off, as I exit the Institution!”

Head Coach of the Women’s Academy Team Ms Busisiwe Maposa, currently studying towards her Honours in Education, lauded UKZN for being a conduit for high school learners to attain a Sports Scholarship and attend the University through the development process, taking them to the next level and giving them the exposure they need.

Maposa, who earned the Best Attacker at the USSA Games, said it was amazing to be part of the tournament and for her growth to be acknowledged with the award. She says she looks forward to continuing being a part of the UKZN Volleyball team and the academy in the future.

With the success of the Volleyball Academy, the University looks forward to implementing development programmes for other sporting codes.

Said UKZN Sports Manager Mr Zweli Sapula, “The Sports Department is very excited about the success of the academy and the dedication of our Sports Officers, whose hard work is driving these positive results. We are equally pleased that many sporting codes have adopted the academy model, ensuring that athletes benefit both academically and through the development of their talent.”

Words: Hlengiwe Khwela

Photograph: Supplied