The UP-Tuks netball player’s domination of the local tournaments has not gone unnoticed.
Six Tuks players have been selected to represent the South African Student team that will out to defend their title at the World Students Tournament in Uganda. Jenny van Dyk (Tuks) is the team’s coach.
One of the new caps is Marlize de Bruin. The next few months are going to be hectic. Last night she jetted of the Jaguars team who will be competing in the SuperClub Tournament in Nelson, New Zealand. The tournament starts on Sunday.
On her return, she is going to play for Tuks during the Varsity Tournament (26 August to 8 October). Still, that is not all. De Bruin is also part of the South African Fast Five squad as well as the South African President’s squad. If selected she will be playing two more tournaments.
Somehow in between all of the playing and training she has got to find time to complete the final year of her educational studies. At the moment it entails working as a teacher at Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool. During the week her day starts before six the morning, and she is seldom at home before seven at night.
De Bruin would have it no other way as she is living her dream. One of the things she keeps emphasising when she works with younger players is that the only way to succeed is to put in the long and hard hours continuously. Personally, she abides by the motto if it at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.
Before she started studying at Tuks De Bruin took a gap year in which she mostly focussed on honing her netball skills.
De Bruin did not get much game time during the Jaguars Brutal Fruit Campaign as she had to compete with Erin Burger and Izette Griesel (both Protea players) for the centre position. She admits that at times it was tough not to play.
“But I realised that I was actually lucky. There are not many centres that get to test themselves during a training session against someone like Erin who is considered to be one of the world’s best. I was forced to live the standard of my play.”
Last year the Jaguars which is actually an all UP-Tuks team managed to win only one game during the SuperClub Tournament in New Zealand. De Bruin is of the opinion that this time around they are going to give a better account of themselves.
“The previous time it was sort of a scenario of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread. We did not know what to expect. But now we are better prepared. As has become the norm our coach, Jenny van Dyk, left nothing to chance in the build-up to the tournament.
“The important thing to remember is when playing in New Zealand is that the game is going to be much faster and more intense to what we are used to in South Africa.”
The other Tuks players playing for the Jaguars who are also selected for the South African Students team are Chantelle Swart, Chanté Louw, Tshina Madau, Lungile Mthembu and Jasmine Ziegelmeier.
Just as a matter of interest. Luan de Bruin, Marlize's brother, is playing for the Cheetahs rugby team.
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