27th July 2007, Page 12 - Edition 197

The Midlands

HERALD

Baggies @ R4000

No. 197 • Friday 27th July 2007

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Left: Dale Morphew looks to pass the ball, playing for the Natal A men’s canoe polo team at the SA Champs in Durban three weeks ago.

Right: Dale poses at the dairy farm at Tweedie where he works, with his Natal colours for canoe polo and gold medal for Natal’s winning efforts at the SA Champs.

Right: Passing the ball . . .

Pictures: Julia Rees Photography — Cell: 073-141 4844; web: www.juliarees.co.za; e-mail: [email protected]

Tel. 033-330 5566 • Fax 033-330 5948 A/h cell: 082-443 6026 1 Laurel Crescent, Merrivale Industrial Park

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Excelling at canoe polo, needs support for World Champs defence. “The game is — when you’re attacking, all of you are attacking, and when you’re defending, all of you are defending,” he explains. So what attracts him to it? “I don’t actually know. When I play polo, I feel free. “I really love it. I feel that my heart is in the sport. When I’ve played, I feel like a new person.” The game of canoe polo The game of canoe polo is played in an area of 23 metres by 35 metres on pools, dams and even — as he discovered on an GEARBOX & DIFF overseas trip in 2005 — on canals in BelEXCHANGE & REPAIRS gium! Midlands Branch Dale spent three months working on Tel. 033-330 5568/96; Cell: 072-126 1800 5 Main Road, Merrivale a dairy farm, near Oldenburg, in GerRepairs to all Gearboxes & Diffs many, and also Wide range of reconditioned units available played the sport Clutch overhauls there and on a lake Authorised CWA and RMI dealers in London. He curAll workmanship guaranteed rently lives and Full workshop facilities works on a dairy farm overlooking Left: Terence, Peter and Midmar. Allen in the Midlands According to the workshop, with a BMW rules of the game, automatic gearbox and an each half lasts 10 Isuzu manual gearbox. Behind them is a diff stand minutes, with just a where they had been working two minute break in on a 4x4 Hi-lux diff. between. There are five players and three Durban Branch: 501 Umgeni Road Established 1993 substitutes in each Tel: 031-312 0838 team. Fax: 031-312 6629 Needing to turn

A Howick youngster hopes to travel with the South African men’s canoe polo team to Canada in July next year. Dale Morphew has been playing for Natal A team since 2004, having been selected for the U21 side in 2001 while a Grade 10 pupil at Weston. Up to about fifteen players gather to practise at the University pool in Pietermaritzburg on a Monday night — “but not as many at the moment when it’s winter and cold!” he quips. Dale plays a multiple role in the team, and possesses strengths in both attack and

quickly and being versatile, the canoes themselves are under three metres in length and have bumpers at the front and back, the likeable youngster explains. “It’s a very intense and physical game,” he says of it. “Players are allowed to ram other canoes. The trick of it is to try and keep the ball moving while you manoeuvre your boat.” Since early 2007 he has been training at the Midlands Well-ness and Fitness Centre in Howick, where personal trainer Justin Stewart has been helping him to build up his strength and rehabilitate a shoulder injury that had him out of action for all of 2006. SA Champs in Durban Fit again, Dale has just played in the recent SA Champs in Durban held three weeks ago. Natal A played magnificently to win the tournament, beating Gauteng 3-2 in the finals, although the team was 0-2 down at halftime. Having earlier in the day during the round robin stage beaten the same side 4-1, they were not about to give up, and so staged a magnificent recovery to produce three goals and win. A need for sponsorship As to the future, in a few months’ time Natal A will be travelling to Johannesburg for a tournament, and will take part in another in January before the team to travel to Canada is chosen. At this stage he needs a new paddle, valued at R1 900, canoe at R2 600 and sponsorship to go overseas (about R25 000 to R30 000). Let’s help our local achievers in sport!