Fit and firing Paarl Gim primed for Super 12 action
After a near-perfect season in the Western Cape, Paarl Gimnasium shifts its attention to the prestigious Fairtree Super 12 Tournament, which takes place at Oranje Meisieskool in Bloemfontein from 7-9 August.
The elite event hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for Paarl Gim in past seasons.
In 2024, the Western Cape side beat Eunice High School 2-1 to finish in fifth place.
They came close to winning it all in 2023, when they finished as the runner-up, while they were also fifth in 2022.
History and past results won’t matter much this week, though, and coach Danelle van Zyl and her charges will be aiming to go all the way.
They head into the tournament after another superb season in the Western Cape during which their only defeat was a tight 0-1 loss at the hands of Rhenish Girls’ High School.
Besides that setback, they’ve wiped the floor with every other opponent they’ve come across, and they also won the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge.
They also concluded their local season with an emphatic 4-1 win over Paarl Girls’ High in the interschools derby, with two goals apiece from Alanda Rademeyer and Karea de Ridder sealing the win.
“I’m proud of the girls,” coach Van Zyl told SuperSport Schools Plus. “Playing interschools is a big mental game because you play in front of a big crowd, and Paarl Girls’ High really played their best game this season, so we had to dig deep.
“Our biggest challenge was to manage the girls after the big hype of interschools, and to focus on what we want to achieve at Super 12.
“You don’t have an easy game at Super 12, so we have to be ready and prepared for every game.”
Van Zyl is fortunate that she hasn’t had to deal with many injuries to key players this year. The team that began the season is almost identical to the one that will do duty at the Super 12.
It’s now a case of managing the demands of the event while taking on some of the best in the country.
“I think we are a well-conditioned and fit team,” Van Zyl said, “so that always helps us at a tournament where you play two or three matches a day.
“If we want to be the best, we have to beat the best, so it’s such a privilege playing against the best schools in the country,” she added.
Paarl Gim will kick off their Super 12 campaign against Our Lady of Fatima on Thursday at 10:50.
Paarl Gim’s fixtures at Super 12
Thursday, 7 August
10:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Our Lady of Fatima
16:40 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Collegiate Girls’ High
Friday, 8 August
08:30 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St Anne’s DSG
12:30 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Die Hoërskool Menlopark
18:30 – Paarl Gimnasium vs DSG Makhanda
