Achievements

WHC Ice Hockey players make National team

Woodhill College students, Charl Pretorius and Reelan Malgas, were selected to play for South Africa in the National U/18 Ice Hockey team, where they received their national SA colours and first international caps. The 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World U/18 Championship was held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 12 to 18 March 2012.

It is quite unique to have two ice hokey players from two different SA clubs play on the same National team and attend the same school.

Charl was selected as the "Best Player of the Game" in Bulgaria and is currently ranked under the Top 10 by the IIHF as goaltender in his division/category in the world.

                             Ice hockey players, Charl Pretorius and Reelan Malgas, representing South Africa.

Keegan de Lange

Keegan was selected for the Gauteng North Primary school golf team in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Keegan is currently ranked 10th on the Gauteng North junior golf order of merit with a stroke average of 75.

In 2006 he represented South Africa in the ‘Pepsi’ and ‘Country Youth Classic’ tournaments in the USA where he achieved a 2nd place in the ‘CYC’ boys U/9 age group and 6th in the Pepsi. His best round of golf is a 68 at reduced distances and a 71 from the Men’s Tee. He currently plays off a 2 handicap.

Keegan was ranked second on the SA Little Kids order of merit for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and fourth in 2008.

He participated in the SA U/12 championship in 2009 where he finished third in excessive wind conditions.

Keegan captained the winning GN Primary School team in 2009, while his 73 in Parys during the interprovincial earned him a second place in the individual competition.

The SA U/14 in January 2010 (Robertson) was played from the Championship Tee’s where Keegan finished 7th.

Keegan was joined winner in the US World Championship qualifier event and was invited to represent South Africa at the Optimist International World Cup and US Teens World Championship in 2010.

Keegan is currently ranked the No 1 player (14 & under) by the Gauteng North Junior Golf Foundation.


Keegan de Lange

U/16 Blue Bulls’ Reigns handed to a 'soutie'

At the annual Blue Bulls High School League Gala Evening held on the 22nd of September 2011 the captains, for all the respective teams, for the 2011 to 2012 season were announced.

Matthew Swanepoel, a grade 10 pupil from Woodhill College was selected to play for the prestigious U/16 team after playing in the trials for Harlequins (he plays for this club during the off season at school level). Coming from a small school such as Woodhill College and playing rugby for the WooDox franchise in the Pretoria Small Schools League this was already a massive achievement.

However, at the gala evening Matthew was rewarded even more by also being selected as the U/16A team’s captain for the current season. Matthew, who has captained the team before in their 73-3 triumph over the Leopards in Rustenburg, was overwhelmed by this achievement.

"This is the first step to my dream coming true" was his reply when he was asked as to how he feels about this.

This was the perfect end to a perfect season for Matthew:

•   WooDox First Team
•   WooDox Tour to Port Natal "Player of the Tournament"
•   Won the Blue Bull Small School League
•   Won the ‘Stadsbeker’
•   Selected for the Lynx North Team (Inter-Private Schools Team)
•   Selected for SA Districts Team Squad
•   Selected for Harlequins team
•   Selected for Blue Bulls u/16A Team
•   Selected as Blue Bulls u/16A Captain.



Matthew Swanepoel

Stefan Trouw

Stefan Trouw, a grade 10 pupil from Woodhill College, participated in the Lynx ( inter-private schools rugby) 7’s trials that were held in Johannesburg on Monday, 1 August 2011.

Stefan has been selected to play for in the @lantic Rugby 7’s tournament which includes the International tournament at the Royal Bafokeng stadium later in the year.

The first tournament will take place at Jeppe Boys High on Saturday, 13 August 2011.

In 2010 Stefan was also selected for the Lynx 7’s U/15 team and captained the team.


Stefan Trouw

Small Mountain Biker, Big Potential

There's a general concern for the depth of talent among female mountain bike racers in South Africa. But a few minutes in the presence of Mariette Kemp instils a strong sense of hope.

The 12-year-old pupil at Woodhill College, Pretoria started riding mountain bikes a year ago, but has quickly established herself as a future star.

She won the:

•   Under-12 national road race title this year
•   Gauteng North provincial and;
•   South African national cross-country series titles in the Girls Sprogs division.

She's also been competing in the short events (20km and 25km) at the marathon races in Gauteng where she has been challenging adults for top places. Coached by her dad, Francois, a keen mountain biker himself, Mariette trains for one hour 30 minutes a day five or six days a week, often on her own riding around the residential complex where the family lives.

"A lot of her training involves just riding and having fun on her bike," explains Anne-Marie, Mariette's mother. "I suppose it's what we did as kids, but these days there are so many other things for kids to do that riding bicycles in the fresh air isn't always first choice. Fortunately Mariette loves riding her bike."

Mariette isn't only a talented bicycle racer, she has provincial colours for swimming and is a top academic achiever at school, her most recent school report showing an A aggregate for the past term.

Mariette has been to exhibition trick rider, Dylan Victor, for some skills coaching to assist her in an area most female racers struggle in. But he reports that she's one of the most naturally talented young riders he's ever met.

"She's young enough to not have the fear that most adults have developed and this gives her an advantage. She's not only fearless, but also stylish and committed too. I think Mariette has a very big future in mountain bike racing," said Victor.

Cross-country racing, Mariette's strongest racing discipline, is as technically challenging as it is physically, with the racing circuits incorporating steep switchback climbs and descents, rocks, ruts and roots.It is currently the only mountain biking discipline contested at the Olympic Games.

"Cross-country is by far my favourite. I love the technical challenge and that it's fast and hard the whole race," says Mariette, who competes for the Cycle Lab Supercycling club's Nashua Toyota Women's Academy.

"Yolande Speedy is my hero. I look up to her because she is really good and wins most of the time. I haven't met her but would like to, says Mariette of the Beijing Olympian and multiple South African champion.

When asked what her goals are for the future, the soft-spoken Mariette doesn't hesitate: "I want to win as many races as I can and one day become an Olympic champion. Everything I do now will build me up for that one day."


Mariette Kemp


 

Provincial Equestrian Achievements

A number of riders from Woodhill College Preparatory were members of the Gauteng North Equestrian team, riding in the SANESA* Gauteng Interschools Finals during the weekend of 16 July. The pupils and their ponies excelled during this show and four Woodhill College riders have been invited to ride as Gauteng Province team members in the upcoming SANESA National Championships. Teams from all provinces in the country will participate in this Interschools National Championships, which will take place between 6 and 9 August at Kyalami Equestrian Park.

Tanya Boer and Foresythe Pandora were placed third in the Gauteng Finals Performance riding, level 2 event. They have been invited to ride for the Gauteng Performance riding A- team and Gauteng teams in Dressage, level 2 tests and Working Riding level 1 during the National Championships in August.


Tanya Boer


Neena de Klerk and her pony, Pringle won the Gauteng Finals Performance riding, level 1 event. They were also placed third in Dressage, level 1 (test 4). They have been chosen as members of the Gauteng A-team in both these events and will also ride for a Gauteng team in Dressage, level 1 (test 3). Mira Groenewald and Mieke van der Merwe were also placed and will ride for Gauteng teams in the National Championships.


Neena de Klerk


The Woodhill College Preparatory School Equestrian team won the SANESA Primary Schools Performance riding and Dressage awards (category: small schools) in the Gauteng North region earlier this year. These awards were presented on the basis of points accumulated over the course of four different qualifiers that took place from February to June 2011. The Woodhill College equestrian team members that participated in these preparatory school Dressage and Performance riding qualifiers are Tanya Boer, Neena de Klerk, Mira Groenewald, Nicole Pattichides


*SANESA – South African National Equestrian Schools Association