Dale co-captains, Nzima and Songelwa, aim to inspire their side to a derby win
When Dale College picked up an impressive 3-2 win against Queen’s College earlier this season in Komani, they did it with solid execution, by seizing their opportunities, and by being defensively sound.
In their annual Pink Day celebration against their old foes, on Friday, they’ll need to replicate that performance on home soil to secure a season’s sweep of their rivals.
Dale’s co-captains, Sibongisile Nzima and Amangile Songelwa, aim to be at the forefront of the battle. They’ve been key contributors this season as Dale’s hockey programme continues to make strides after a challenging 2023.
Nzima, who is in grade 11, is a front-runner to lead the side again next year, while the clash against Queen’s will be Songelwa’s final outing for the Per Ardua ad Astra school.
The 2024 season has had its ups and downs for the Qonce side. They began it brilliantly at the Tony Godding Festival in East London in March.
Coach Junior Mqingwana’s team finished the tournament unbeaten and picked up wins against Montana High School (5-0), Bethlehem Voortrekker (4-3), and Linden (5-0) before sharing a 1-1 draw with Curro Waterstone.
In their next match, they were beaten by Grey High, but they bounced back to beat Queen’s the following week.
There was a mixed bag of results for Dale during the remainder of the second term. They lost 1-3 to Cambridge High and were outplayed 10-1 by Selborne College. They got back to winning ways against Graeme College, taking a 2-0 victory, before finishing the term with a tight 0-1 defeat Kingswood College.
Since the start of the third term, Dale has been competitive, but they’ve also been beaten four times. They came up short against Stirling High, losing 2-3, before going down 1-2 against St Andrew’s College, which was followed by further losses to Selborne College and Hudson Park last week.
“This season has certainly been better than last year,” co-captain Sibongisile Nzima told SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of their clash with Queen’s.
“Last year wasn’t the greatest. We were losing week in and out.
“There’s a massive difference this year. We have a new coach, new players, and we’ve played a good brand of hockey, even though results haven’t gone our way, but there’s an improvement,” he said.
His fellow captain Amangile Songelwa shared the same sentiments.
“I think we won only two games last year, so that already tells you the story,” he said.
“The coaching was not the issue; I think it was just the understanding between the coach and players.
“We have a good mix in the team also this year, and we’re looking forward to closing it on a high.”
The duo both attended Dale College Boys’ Primary School and began playing hockey from a young age.
Nzima started earlier, first picking up a hockey stick in grade one, while Songelwa began his hockey journey in grade five. They played in the same u13A side in 2019 before making their way to the high school.
In 2022, both captains produced outstanding seasons, and they were duly rewarded with selection for Border’s u16A inter-provincial side. That same year, they debuted for the Dale College 1st XI.
“It’s been an incredible journey at Dale. I started hockey in grade one and, to be honest, I’ve enjoyed most parts of it,” Nzima said.
“I started playing with Ama in 2019. We’ve known each other up until now. I’ve learned a lot from him, as a senior. I’m sure he’s taken some learnings from me, too. All in all, I’ve enjoyed it.”
Songelwa took up the sport when his family moved to Qonce.
After making the Border u16A side in 2022, he was included in the u18A side for the SASHOC National Week in Bloemfontein this year.
“Making Border this year was massive for me, and even though I didn’t play as much as I would’ve liked, I took some lessons from it,” he said.
Both captains said they hoped more learners at the school would take up the sport and contribute to its growth.
However, they’re also aware that they’ll need to win consistently to encourage other boys to give hockey a go.
A win this weekend against their old foes would be a step in the right direction. They have identified finishing and communication at the back as two of the keys to winning the match.
““Going into this game, we have to work on our key points,” Nzima said. “A massive issue in our team is finishing, and it’s hurt us a lot this season. The defence will also need to communicate well.”
Songelwa also raised concerns about the finishing and said Dale will need to be wary of the dangers which Queen’s will pose.
“I believe our strikers can do the job for us when we create the opportunities,” he added.
“In the midfield, we’ll also need to step up because Queen’s is dangerous, and they’ll also want to win at all costs. It will be a battle,” he concluded.
The game gets underway at 16:00 on the KWT AstroTurf.
Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.
