SA’s leading teams to gather in Bloemfontein for Saints Squash Festival
The 31st annual Saints Squash Festival, hosted by St Andrew’s School, in Bloemfontein, takes place from 7-9 February, and features 20 of South Africa’s top squash-playing schools, with 24 teams in action.
The event is a festival and, thus, a winner is not declared. However, last year, Hoërskool Zwartkop, led by SA Schools Closed champion Luhann Groenewald won all five of their ties, with Selborne College, a well-established power, providing them with their stiffest test, which Zwarries passed by winning 4-2.
Later in the year, Hoërskool Zwartkop won the Top Schools Squash Tournament, which brings together the top teams from South Africa’s provinces, for a second year in succession.
Zwarries will be one of the top guns again, while Selborne College, fourth at the 2024 Top Schools tournament, boasts strong depth and will, as usual, be one of the top teams.
Paarl Gimnasium appears at the Saints Squash Festival for the first time and they’re a team that could make some noise. Westville Boys’ High has staked an early claim to be KZN’s best, beating Glenwood 6-0, Michaelhouse 10-2, and Kearsney 9-1.
However, the field is as open as it has ever been.
Some of the leading u19 and u16 players in the country will be in action, including a number who featured in 2024’s SA Schools rankings. They include Benji Newman (Grey High), Dean Katzin (St Andrew’s School), Thero Motshubi (St John’s College), Juan Corné Brand (Zwartkop), Logan Kidson (Zwartkop), and Milan Raffa (Pretoria Boys High).
Others to keep an eye out for include Josh Smit and Ruan Wessels, from Paarl Gim, Daniel Deutschmann, of King Edward VII (KES), and Ronav Pillay, Westville Boys’ High’s number-one player.
Daniel Deutschmann is the nephew of St Andrew’s School’s long-time coach Calvin Deutschmann, who has also coached a number of national junior teams. He’s a national u19 and SA Schools selector.
The Deutschmann name is inextricably linked with squash at St Andrew’s. Another Deutschmann, Bryce, will represent the St Andrew’s A side. He’s the son of Michael Deutschmann, Calvin’s younger brother. Daniel Deutschmann is the son of Calvin’s older brother, Garrick, who was better known for his tennis exploits while at St Andrew’s.
Michael and Calvin Deutschmann are involved in the organisation of the tournament and the management of teams. “Once again, it’s a full-on family affair,” commented Margo Morgan, the organiser of the tournament and St Andrew’s School’s head of squash.
Highly respected in South African schools’ squash circles, Margo Morgan is the Chairperson of SA Schools Squash and is an SA Schools’ selector. Together with Calvin Deutschmann, she has been a driving force behind St Andrew’s squash for the past three decades, helping Saints become one of the powerhouses of the game in South Africa.
Dean Katzin is the number one player for the St Andrew’s 1st squash team. He was an SA Schools ranked player in the u16 age group last year, and he remains u16 this year. He’ll have his work cut out for him when taking on top u19 players, including Juan Corné Brand, Benji Newman, Jodie Emslie (Selborne College), Josh Smit (Paarl Gim), Daniel Deutschmann (King Edward VII), and Ronav Pillay (Westville Boys’ High).
Saints placed third at the 2024 Top Schools Tournament, but their squash team has undergone big changes after bidding farewell to four matric boys at the end of last year.
Participating Teams
Glenwood High School (Durban), Graeme College (Makhanda), Grey College (Bloemfontein), Grey High School (Gqeberha), Kearsney College (Botha’s Hill), King Edward VII School (Johannesburg), Kingswood College (Makhanda), Maritzburg College (Pietermaritzburg), Michaelhouse A (Balgowan), Michaelhouse B (Balgowan), Parktown Boys’ High (Johannesburg), Paarl Gimnasium (Paarl), Paul Roos Gimnasium (Stellenbosch), Pretoria Boys High (Pretoria), Queen’s College (Komani), Selborne College (East London), St Andrew’s School A (Bloemfontein), St Andrew’s School B (Bloemfontein), St John’s College A (Johannesburg), St John’s College B (Johannesburg), St Stithians College (Johannesburg), Westville Boys’ High (Westville), Hoërskool Zwartkop (Centurion).
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