Small town, big dreams: Okahandja’s Cheslin Van Wyk takes netball to new heights
Aurelia Afrikaner
OkahandjaOkahandja might be a town with its fair share of challenges, but it’s also a place bursting with talent, and leading the charge on the netball courts is Cheslin Van Wyk – player, coach, mentor and now, proud MTC Premier League umpire.Born and raised right in Okahandja, Van Wys’s adventure started in 2017 when he joined a local social team alongside friends Ambrosius Eichab, Ronneky Basson and Moses de Klerk. What was supposed to be just a fun weekend activity quickly turned into something far bigger.
“I thought it was just social netball,” he says with a grin. “Next thing I know, I’m sprinting around as wing attack and goal attack like my life depended on it. That’s when I knew I was hooked.”
From those courts, his passion only grew. Playing for the Afrocate Lions Males Netball Club gave him the hunger for competition and the joy of teamwork. Local tournaments and NDF games toughened him into a fierce yet fair competitor, respected both for his agility and his sportsmanship.
His contribution to netball does not stop with playing. He’s been coaching and uplifting the youth in Okahandja since 2017, proving that sports can be a powerful tool for growth in a small town. “Okahandja has its problems,” he admits, “but it also has incredible talent. All it needs is opportunity, and I want to be part of opening that door.”
Small town, big dreams
That drive eventually pushed him into umpiring. Wanting players to understand the game better, he trained as an umpire and now officiates with fairness, integrity and the occasional whistle-blast sharp enough to wake up the entire neighbourhood. “At first, people groaned when I blew the whistle,” he laughs. “But once they realised I was not just making it up, they respected it.”
Today, Okahandja celebrates Van Wyk not just as an athlete, but as a role model who proves that even from small towns, big dreams can take flight.
“My goal is to reach the international stage,” he says proudly. “And to show every young person in Okahandja that no matter where you come from, your talent can carry you anywhere.”
With heart, humour and a whistle in hand, Cheslin Van Wyk is proof that from Okahandja’s dusty courts, greatness can rise.
OkahandjaOkahandja might be a town with its fair share of challenges, but it’s also a place bursting with talent, and leading the charge on the netball courts is Cheslin Van Wyk – player, coach, mentor and now, proud MTC Premier League umpire.Born and raised right in Okahandja, Van Wys’s adventure started in 2017 when he joined a local social team alongside friends Ambrosius Eichab, Ronneky Basson and Moses de Klerk. What was supposed to be just a fun weekend activity quickly turned into something far bigger.
“I thought it was just social netball,” he says with a grin. “Next thing I know, I’m sprinting around as wing attack and goal attack like my life depended on it. That’s when I knew I was hooked.”
From those courts, his passion only grew. Playing for the Afrocate Lions Males Netball Club gave him the hunger for competition and the joy of teamwork. Local tournaments and NDF games toughened him into a fierce yet fair competitor, respected both for his agility and his sportsmanship.
His contribution to netball does not stop with playing. He’s been coaching and uplifting the youth in Okahandja since 2017, proving that sports can be a powerful tool for growth in a small town. “Okahandja has its problems,” he admits, “but it also has incredible talent. All it needs is opportunity, and I want to be part of opening that door.”
Small town, big dreams
That drive eventually pushed him into umpiring. Wanting players to understand the game better, he trained as an umpire and now officiates with fairness, integrity and the occasional whistle-blast sharp enough to wake up the entire neighbourhood. “At first, people groaned when I blew the whistle,” he laughs. “But once they realised I was not just making it up, they respected it.”
Today, Okahandja celebrates Van Wyk not just as an athlete, but as a role model who proves that even from small towns, big dreams can take flight.
“My goal is to reach the international stage,” he says proudly. “And to show every young person in Okahandja that no matter where you come from, your talent can carry you anywhere.”
With heart, humour and a whistle in hand, Cheslin Van Wyk is proof that from Okahandja’s dusty courts, greatness can rise.
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