Netball Captain. In our popular series on sport captains, Schools That Rock talks to Chloe Matthys. Chloe is the 1st Netball Team Captain of Curro Durbanville in Cape Town. Today Chloe scores the eighth goal in our series of Netball Captains from schools in South Africa and Namibia.
Chloe, at what age did you start playing netball?
- I started playing netball when I was 9 years old, in primary school.
Are you truly passionate about netball? Why?
- Netball can be highly competitive and especially when playing games against higher level teams. I love the thrill of the competition and the desire to become a better netball player is a strong motivator as to why I am passionate and why I want to constantly improve on my skills.
Do you participate in other sports as well?
- I currently do not participate in any other sports besides netball. I would have loved to have taken part in another sport, but maintaining the balance between the workload that comes with Grade 12 and playing one sport is already a lot to manage.
What position are you currently playing? Have you played any other positions in the past?
- I currently alternate between playing goal shooter (GS) and goal attack (GA). My whole netball career I have always played those shooting positions and that is where I prosper the most.
Have you been Netball Captain of a netball team before? To what degree?
- I was chosen as Netball Captain in Grade 5 and Grade 6. Â
During which game did you stress the most? Why?
- I was stressed during the Bosmansdam tournament’s B-plate finals that we were playing. We were stressed but had so much determination to win.
Chloe, do you have any goals you’d like to achieve in the current season?
- I would like to accomplish a goal of winning all our leagues games for this season.
Do you plan to continue with netball after your school career? If so, at what level?
- I unfortunately do not plan to continue to play netball after my school career.
Which school, if any, do you consider your strongest opponent?
- There is no one specific school that I think is the strongest opponent. I am open to playing many strong schools in order for the team to develop and grow stronger.
What are you doing, as Netball Captain, to keep your team motivated?
- I try to encourage a positive mindset, even during difficult moments or with losses. We should shift our focus on the progress that we make as a team and the opportunities for growth and development.
Is there a coach or netball player you currently look up to as a role model and why?
- Yes, Lenize Potgieter is a South African netball shooter that I have looked up to for a long time. She has an outstanding shooting accuracy and I believe that many netball shooters can learn a lot from her, such as her versatility as a shooter when adapting to different styles of play and her strong work ethic.
What was your biggest netball nightmare/experience during a game? If any.
- I fortunately have not had any netball nightmare experiences.
What have you learned about teamwork since becoming Netball Captain?
- I learned more about accountability and trust. When you build trust amongst your teammates and hold each other accountable are important aspects of successful teamwork. I have learned how to encourage trust through reliability and how to address issues in a constructive and respectful manner. Becoming a captain in netball offers a good learning experience that goes beyond simply leading the team on the court. It also provides valuable insights into the dynamics of teamwork, leadership and self-improvement that can benefit you both on and off the netball court.
Describe your highlights that you experienced in netball as a player and /or as Netball Captain?
- The highlight would be witnessing first-hand how much our hard work and dedication during practices pays off when playing well against tough schools. It is satisfying to see how we apply our skills and game plans in our matches.
What was the best advice you’ve ever received from your coach?
- Instead of focusing on mistakes/limitations, my coach emphasized the importance of learning from each game – whether it is when we win, lose or draw. We should have a good mindset and see every game as an opportunity for development, so we can grow and achieve our goals in the future.
Tell us about the most enjoyable game you’ve ever played.
- In grade 5 our netball team managed to achieve the title of league winners. I remember us playing our best every single week and we were determined to achieve our goal. It is so interesting to look back and remember that we were just twelve years old at the time, but we maintained such a great mindset so early on in school.
Which match has been your toughest match so far in your career?
- When our netball teams took part in the Mega Sports Festival in George. I would say all those matches were really tough. We still managed to give it our all in every game and we were proud of the outcome and the lessons we learned.
Chloe, if you were to be a kitchen article, what would you be? Why?
- I would be a blender because it is capable of blending different ingredients together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Likewise, I strive to bring together different ideas, perspectives and knowledge to achieve anything I set my mind to.
Which professional netball player would you like to have coffee with? Why?
- Lenize Potgieter, because I would love to sit down and have a conversation to reflect on her netball career.
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