Christelle van Schalkwyk appointed as Sports Co-Ordinator

After graduating from the Tshwane University of Technology with her Degree in Officiating and Coaching Science, she coached at various schools and presented at many netball clinics. Christelle van Schalkwyk joined St Peter’s College as an external netball coach in 2009, and shortly thereafter became an intern at the College while completing her Postgraduate Certificate in Education. She started off as an assistant to Dave Short in the Sports Office, but thereafter pursued her teaching career as a Geography Teacher and was quickly promoted to become the Head of Department in Social Sciences. Throughout her journey at St Peter’s, Christelle’s love for the sport grew and so she decided to embrace this new opportunity as the College’s Sports Co-Ordinator.

Christelle’s passion for sport was ignited when she was in Primary School, where she began playing Netball from the age of 8 and a few years later, started taking part in Athletics. Her sporting horizons were broadened when she made the transition from Primary School to High School, where she decided to compete in Cricket, Tennis, and Swimming. She received Honours for Athletics, Netball, and Cricket since she was in Grade 8 and was awarded Athlete of the Year for 5 consecutive years. Christelle was announced as Deputy Head Girl of Sport and led her school to victory in all the sporting events that were held in her final year.

In 2012, Christelle joined her Action Netball Mix team and for 9 consecutive years, they have been undefeated and have been capped the best team in South Africa. When she played for Gauteng North at the Inter-Provincial Tournament in 2012, she was selected to join the South African Action Netball Mix team to represent her Country in Australia later that year. She had another opportunity in 2014, to represent her country in the World Cup held at Fourways Action Arena. In both these tournaments, she and her team were awarded silver medals.

Coming from a sporty family, a mother who also taught Geography and enjoyed organizing sporting events and seeing as the apple does not fall far from the tree, Christelle is extremely proud to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She has always lived by the quote “Practice what you preach,” and this has proven to have successfully led her to where she is today.