Akosua Mensah seems to have a new hobby when playing for UP-Tuks in the Varsity Netball Tournament and that is to collect “Player of the Match-awards”.

Currently, her tally stands at three but watch this space as they say. Seeing her absolute passion for trying to disrupt any opposing team’s defence time and again it won’t be a surprise if she picks up another award on Monday when UP-Tuks plays UWC at home. 

If someone would have asked Mensah before the start of the Varsity Tournament if she expected to be such an influential player her honest answer probably would have been no. She had just one goal, and that was to be the best she can be because for her netball is all about the team. Her motto is -  “we win as a team and lose as a team”.

The 20-year old BCom Entrepreneurship student readily admits being totally caught off-guard when she received the award as best player after the Madibaz game.  

“I was not even thinking about personal accolades. All that mattered was that we should win and I was just trying to contribute in a small way towards that common goal.”

For UP-Tuks’s next game against UJ she again mastered the art of foiling the opposition’s attacks and then she even played better against VUT to keep on raking in the awards.

Mensah ascribes her consistently excellent performances in getting to play for the Jaguars for the first time.

“It was definitely the best thing that could have happened. You can say it was sort of a wakeup call. The intensity and energy with which the games were played during the Brutal Fruit Series inspired me. And then the Jaguars got the opportunity to play in New Zealand. That made me realise that to become a better player myself I will have to up my own work rate on court dramatically. It was a case of adapt or die. With the Varsity Netball, it is just a case of carrying on playing with the same passion.”

Mensah who plays goal defence or goal attack of UP-Tuks said she wishes she can be a bit more aggressive on the court. 

“It seems I am inclined to be more strategic in the way I play. As a defender, I am not good to ‘sticking’ like the rest. My contribution is going for the intercepts which the opposition don’t expect.”

Netball was not always her first passion. Mensah used to be quite a good ballet dancer. It was her dad, Charles, who encouraged her to take on an outdoor activity. She tried out all sorts of different sports, but in the end, it was netball that got her excited.

“I will always be grateful for my dad and mom, Marian, support. As a player, I could not wish for bigger fans. They have been and always will be my role models.”