Development and Transformation Teams to Play at the Polocrosse World Cup 2015

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Attention

28 June 2015

Development and Transformation Teams to Play at the Polocrosse World Cup 2015

The Polocrosse World Cup 2015 is taking place this July at the Durban Shongweni Club in KwaZulu-Natal, where eight international teams will compete for the title of world champion. The event will be one of sportsmanship, entertainment and versatility, as during the games there will also be two playoffs wherein local development and transformation players will get a chance to show off their talents as well.

The first local Development and Transformation game will take place at 13h30 on the 2nd of July, on the day that the opening ceremony of the Polocrosse World Cup 2015 is taking place.

The first game will feature the Presidents Team, with a total handicap of 16, consisting of section A; Sifiso Ntamane (Manderstone, KZN), coach Eric Khun (Killarney Isles, KZN) and Captain Thembi Madonsela (Greytown, KZN) and section B; Lauren Khun (Killarney Isles, KZN), Christine Dickenson (Shongweni, KZN) and Alex Zulu (Ballito, KZN).

The competing development team is the PASA (Polocrosse Association of South Africa) team, with a total handicap of 16 as well, which will include section A; Captain Patrick Nkosi (Ermelo, Mpumalanga), coach Glyn Redgrave (Shongweni, KZN) and Action Zililo (Thornville, KZN). Section B will include Ashley Hunter-Smith (Camperdown, KZN), Bernice Bentley (Thornville, KZN) and Sheryl James (Louis Trichardt, Limpopo).

Players are handicapped from negative two through to a ten, ten being the highest possible handicap achievable.

The Presidents side section A will play against the PASA side section A for 3 by 6 minute chukkas (a period of continuous play, generally lasting 6 to 7 minutes), with the Presidents side Section B playing the PASA side Section B for the alternating 3 by 6 minute chukkas. As the teams are evenly handicapped, there will be no advantage and the winner will be determined as the team who scores the most goals totaled over the 6 by 6 minute chukkas.

The second Development and Transformation game will be held on Saturday 11 July at 12H00. The second game will again be a playoff between the Presidents Team and the PASA Team, this time each team will consist of three players. The Presidents Team includes Sifiso Ntamane, Alex Zulu and Thembi Madonsela (captain), with the PASA Team including Patrick Nkosi (captain), Action Zililo and Sheryl James.

The Captains of these two sides, Thembi Madonsela and Patrick Nkosi are also members of the Protea World Cup side as reserves.

Thembi Madonsela (Greytown, KZN), 19 years old, and has always shown an enthusiastic interest in horses. Madonsela would take every opportunity to catch and saddle up any spare horse and ride and practice polocrosse with a team at the premises where her mother works. Madonsela received sponsored, professional horse riding lessons only after a bad fall, breaking both her arms.

Madonsela has been a fighter who has taken her ambitions by the reigns, as she continued to play polocrosse and has been sponsored by Geoff Newlands from Tuta Carriers for the past three years. Madonsela¹s passion for riding and polocrosse perseveres as she continues to ride every day and her persistence has paid off in that she represented the South African under 19 team at an international polocrosse tournament at Weipe, Limpopo. Madonsela has matriculated and is currently employed at Lowlands Butchery in Greytown.

Patrick Nkosi¹s (Ermelo, Mpumalanga), adoration for horses began 24 years ago at the age of 11 on a farm where he lived with his parents in Ermelo. The owner of the farm used to play polocrosse which caught Nkosi¹s attention as a child and he found himself playing his first polocrosse game in 1993.

Nkosi developed a skill for the game and represented Mpumalanga on a provincial level on various occasions. He also represented South Africa against New Zealand in 2004 and is now honoured to find himself as part of the South African team as a reserve for the 2015 Polocrosse World Cup.

Since childhood Nkosi was constantly assisting with horses and developed his great love and appreciation for them on the farm. At 35 years old Nkosi still takes great care and pride in looking after horses everyday on the farm where he works in Schaapkraal near Bethal (Mpumulanga).

Other players include Sifiso Ntamane (Eastern Cape) who works for the top polocrosse veteran and legend, Andrew Heynes who, in his later forties, is still a nine handicap player. Ntamane has been playing for two years and plays for the Bishopstowe polocrosse club on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. Ntamane¹s occupation is riding and grooming horses. He hopes to progress to a handicap of four by the end of the 2015 season.

Alex Zulu lives on the north coast near Ballito (KZN) and also ride’s and grooms horses for a living. Zulu adores horses and loves playing polocrosse, as seen in his relaxed and friendly nature, especially on the field. Zulu is a true sportsman and he is a strong polocrosse player who strives to improve his game every chance that he gets. He currently plays for the Umhlali Polocrosse Club (KZN).

Living and working on a farm near Thornville (KZN), Action Zililo is a head groom and looks after ten horses. He excels at riding and has a flair for breaking in and schooling young horses. Zililo started playing polocrosse two years ago and has improved significantly and currently plays for the Tegwaans Polocrosse Club. He looks forward to bringing his son Gama into polocrosse once he is old enough to play.

Sheryl James has come all the way down from Louis Trichardt, Limpopo to play in the two development games. James, 27 years of age and has a degree in Psychology and several certificates in horse theraphy. She currently spends time assisting children with disabilities. James suffers from Cerebral Palsy and has a partial paralysis of the right-hand side of her body. She has been riding for ten years, finding it therapeutic and relaxing. James will show great skill and endurance on the field. She has earned her handicap of three and her parents are extremely proud and supportive of her. James and her trusty steed together make an unstoppable team.

The Development games are an ongoing initiative that was started by the Polocrosse Association of South Africa (PASA). PASA will continue supporting the initiative and aim to reach many more undiscovered athletes. “We have very strong transformation and development goals and we are very excited to start rollout at this prestigious event [Polocrosse World Cup 2015]” says Andre Truter (PASA President).

Both coaches, Glyn Redgrave and Eric Khun, and the other players, Lauren Khun, Christine Dickenson, Ashley Hunter-Smith and Bernice Bentley all hail from the nearby Tegwaans Polocrosse club. The Tegwaans Polocrosse club is an avid supporter of transformation and development and is always encouraging new players to come and experience polocrosse. Members of the public can contact Mike Elston (Manager of the Transformation Team) at mike.elston@isiqina.co.za or tegwaanspolox@gmail.com for more information.

Visit www.polocrosse.co.za for VIP tickets; general admission tickets can be purchased on the day at a cost of R20 per person, entrance for children under the age of 12 is free.

For more information and to follow the event, visit the official Facebook page – Polocrosse World Cup South Africa and the Twitter page – @PolocrosseSA, the official event hashtag is #PolocrosseWorldCup2015.

/ENDS

Please see below for images, high resolution are available on request.

Please ensure that the photographer: Shannon Gilson is credited. Images are complimentary for media use, provided the correct photo credit is used.