The Western Cape Southern Stings netball team attended a bootcamp at the Military Academy over period 2 – 3 April 2022 to enhance their team cohesion. Ms Marchelle Maroun from the Stings’ management, requested the bootcamp after hearing of the bootcamp done by Hopefield Highschool’s netball team earlier in the year at the Military Academy.
Sergeant Marklou Adendorff, who spearheaded the bootcamp attended by the Hopefield Highschool Netball team, was immediately roped in for his expertise and experience as a regimental instructor of the South African Air Force.
On Saturday, 2 April 2022, the team arrived at 13:30 at the Military Academy sports field, which served as the main base of operations. Lieutenant Colonel Morné Booÿjens welcomed the Southern Stings netball players and their management to the Military Academy and introduced the instructors. Captain Nick Olivier completed a few administrative issues and conducted a roll call. From there the players were handed over to the Chief Instructor for the exercise, Sergeant Adendorff.
The netball players were issued with “battle equipment”, consisting of a steel helmet and a life jacket. The players were never to remove their kit, unless under direct instruction from one of the instructors. This was part of the process to teach them responsibility for themselves. The first activity was to present basic drill training. This was done to establish a foundation for discipline and to teach them to follow orders without hesitation.
The players’ physical fitness was tested next with a 2 x 1,2km run under 5 minutes with 4 minutes rest in-between. The players had to complete both runs while still wearing their kit. On returning to the sports field, the players were briefed and orientated with regards to the jungle lane, a mini obstacle course nestled in the tree line south of the sports field. A leader per sub-divided team was appointed and a full-blown competition were held. The players ran the jungle lane twice, first as 2 separate teams and then again as a unit to teach them to work and plan in a group and not leave members behind.
After a water break, the players received agility training on the netball field, which comprised of the notorious “ancestors” exercise (suicides) and thereafter circuit exercises in two groups with assigned leaders and lastly, they did interlocked sit-ups. These activities tested their mental resilience and prompted them to support each other when getting tired.
Before supper, Major T.J. Mereko gave the players a few words of motivation to boost their morale for the rest of the bootcamp. They enjoyed a snoek braai with sweet potatoes for supper and after supper they had the opportunity to write short anonymous essays regarding their objectives as part of the team.
A tower building puzzle followed, where the team who completed the puzzle the quickest would receive a “reward”. Next, two team leaders were identified and after a briefing they had to pitch the tents for the 2 respective sub-teams to sleep in for the night. The night’s rest comprised of 45 minutes, whereafter they went on a 4 km route march, together with the team’s management. The players finally got to bed at 03:45 on Sunday (3 April) morning. At 6:45, after a quick breakfast, they commenced with a route march / class competition. Halfway through the competition, the players got a break, where they found a quiet spot along the coastline, to take 10 minutes and reflect on what they had experienced thus far as well as prepare themselves psychologically for the last leg of the bootcamp exercise.
On completion of the route march, the Military Academy Sea Team was waiting for the players with baited anticipation for the final part of the exercise. The players had to carry boats from the gate of the nature reserve, down to the beach. They then walked into the water and swam out to where they could no longer touch the sea bottom. Thereafter they rowed the boats and conducted cap-sizing drills and on completion the boats had to be carried back up to the road.
Finally, the players were formed up in a proper squad and jogged back to the sports field. The demobilization process began, with clearing out of the tents and handing back equipment. A short debrief was conducted with the players and management and they shared their observations and insights gained during the past 24 hours with the team. Some of the players’ comments were: “ We were all so far out of our comfort zones and pushed way beyond our limits. I realised that to be a part of a team and to go through difficult times and activities becomes a lot easier when you have someone next to you who is willing to work hard and help you. At times I wanted to give up and go home but every now and then I just heard someone in the team say “LETS GO” and I got new energy to carry on.”
Another said: “This weekend at the Military Academy showed us that one person’s weakness or mistake could affect the entire team, but it is up to the entire team to help that team mate to correct it and become better together. There were many times where we had to motivate not only ourselves but use the last little bit of energy and breath, we had to motivate each other.”
“PAIN IS TEMPORARY, PRIDE IS FOREVER”
