ALIZWA DAYILE and
BABALO NTSINI
Grade 12 Merrifield College pupil Janey-Heather Wood has made history by becoming the first pupil from her school to represent SA in water polo.
The talented teenager recently returned from Tenerife, Spain, where she represented the SA U18 women’s team.
Wood made an immediate impact on the international stage, scoring two goals during SA’s opening 13-6 victory against Zimbabwe.
For Wood, donning the national colours represents the culmination of years of intense training, discipline, and personal sacrifice, including the difficult decision to step away from provincial and school netball to focus entirely on water polo.
“Being selected to represent South Africa was the best moment of my life,” Wood said.
“It’s something I’ve worked towards for years, so when it finally happened, I felt incredibly proud and grateful.
“Representing South Africa means everything to me.
“It’s not just about playing a sport I love; it’s about making my parents, my coaches, my community, my friends, and most importantly, my country proud.”
Wood began playing water polo in grade 7. While she started the sport later than many of her peers, her background as a proficient surfer and competitive lifesaver provided a natural foundation in the water.
By grade 8, her steep learning curve saw her selected for the Buffalo City team to compete at the annual Inter-Provincial Tournament.
Preparing for the world stage in Spain required relentless dedication, including rigorous swim sets, tactical training camps, and gym sessions.
“Before the first game against Zimbabwe, I was definitely nervous but also really excited,” Wood said. “Playing against international teams is very different, the pace and physicality of the game is on another level. It’s shown me how important adaptability and mental toughness are.”
Despite her demanding athletic schedule, Wood remains focused on her grade 12 studies, leveraging digital platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Ed-admin to keep up with coursework while traveling.
Her ultimate goal after matriculating is to secure a university scholarship in the US to continue competing at an elite level.
Her historical selection comes at an exciting time for Merrifield College, which has significantly bolstered its aquatic sports programme.
The school recently appointed Khanyisa Mpumlwana who serves as the SA men’s interim head coach, SA U20 men’s head coach, and SA U18 men’s assistant coach as its head of water polo. Merrifield is also introducing the sport to pupils as young as six years old.
Mpumlwana praised Wood’s historic achievement, emphasizing what it means for both the 29-year-old institution and the broader community.
“For a small school and town like ours, this is an even bigger achievement. Janey has made history at the school,” Mpumlwana said.
“Merrifield College is only 29 years old, so to produce a South African water polo player is something we are extremely proud of.
“The qualities that stand out most are her hard work, dedication, and willingness to sacrifice.”
Mpumlwana said the school identified Wood’s extraordinary potential early on, awarding her a combined academic and sports scholarship in grade 8.
Wood’s mother Anita expressed overwhelming pride seeing her daughter excel internationally after watching her represent the province in six sporting codes over the years.
“As her parents we were not that surprised as she was invited to the final national trial, and we have always backed her to make the team.
“Seeing her score her first international goal was special for us, mainly because we understood the grind of years of training to get to this point. One goal could be viewed as lucky, two cannot be a fluke, so seeing that second goal go in was confirmation that she belongs on the international stage,” Anita said.
