In her maiden Varsity Netball season for the Maties Netball Club, goalkeeper Syntiche Kabuya bagged player of the match awards on three occasions during the 2021 edition of the popular Varsity Sports tournament.
If this was not memorable enough, her first of these awards came in her debut match for Maties Netball at the 2021 Varsity Netball tournament. She was the standout player for Maties in that opening match and has continued her outstanding form into the 2022 season.
The tournament, much like many sporting events, took a hiatus following lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic but returned for the first time since 2019, albeit behind closed doors. Maties hosted and welcomed all seven Varsity Netball teams as the tournament took place in a bio-bubble played at the Coetzenburg Indoor Centre in Stellenbosch.
The 18-year-old Kabuya, the youngest daughter of four children, has been playing netball since grade 3. “It was in grade 3 that I actually started playing netball properly. Prior to this I played a bit in grade 1, but only took it serious from grade 3, at least as serious as any grade 3 kid can get, because we just wanted to play to have fun. Until about grade 9, I ran long distance and did long jump as well, but it was after this that I started focussing on my netball game,” explained Kabuya.
A second-year BSc student majoring in Food Science, Kabuya has continued her player-of-the-match performances in the Telkom Netball League where she plays for the Southern Stings. The Brackenfell High School alumna picked up two players of the match awards, the second one coming against the Flames towards the end of May 2022.
“What inspires me when someone keeps going and pushing through even though they might not feel like it, when I see that, I really feel inspired as well,”
Kabuya added.
Much to her surprise, the rising Maties player is still in awe of how well she has adapted and adjusted to form an integral part of the Maroon Machine and to be able to carry that standout performances’ through to the Telkom National League.
“It is honestly a shock to me,” said a very modest Kabuya. “I never thought that I would make such an important team at such a young age.”
Just like many young university sportswomen and sportsmen , the young goalkeeper aspires to do well both on and off the playing field, and this does not necessarily translate into provincial, national or Olympic honours. However, she is happy to reflect on her most memorable moment on the court.
“I would say, winning player of the match in my debut Varsity Netball game and my debut for Maties, has to rank as the most memorable for me thus far. My career aspiration is to one day become a food scientist working in a lab, [while] my sporting aspiration is to feel like I have given my best every single time I step on court,” she concluded.
