The SA national women’s sevens rugby team has suffered a great loss as Border Women’s senior side flank Lusanda Dumke turned down an offer to join the national team setup.
Instead, the Border try sensation elected to focus on her academic studies.
Dumke, 21, was approached by the national team following three sterling seasons wherein Border were national champions.
It was during this period that Dumke and her heroics caught the attention of national selectors.
But the pacey player who completed her matric in 2016 has since said no to the national call-up.
“I do not regret my decision to choose school over this wonderful opportunity because I can always have something to fall back on if rugby doesn’t work out,” said Dumke.
Dumke continued that her high school teachers were concerned she was not going to make it in matric due to the travel demands that came with her rugby commitment.
But she pulled through regardless and has since been accepted for a four-year degree in Public Management at the University of Fort Hare in Alice.
Although Dumke turned down the national call, she will not be hanging up her boots just yet as she plans to continue playing for Border.
She encouraged young girls to play sport but balance that with education.
“I really would like to encourage young girls to play sport to avoid things like teenage pregnancy and loitering around in the townships but that should go hand in hand with education,” she advised.
Dumke is not the only sports star to turn down a career on the field of play to focus on education.
Studies trump SA team call-up
Instead, the Border try sensation elected to focus on her academic studies.
Dumke, 21, was approached by the national team following three sterling seasons wherein Border were national champions.
It was during this period that Dumke and her heroics caught the attention of national selectors.
But the pacey player who completed her matric in 2016 has since said no to the national call-up.
“I do not regret my decision to choose school over this wonderful opportunity because I can always have something to fall back on if rugby doesn’t work out,” said Dumke.
Dumke continued that her high school teachers were concerned she was not going to make it in matric due to the travel demands that came with her rugby commitment.
But she pulled through regardless and has since been accepted for a four-year degree in Public Management at the University of Fort Hare in Alice.
Although Dumke turned down the national call, she will not be hanging up her boots just yet as she plans to continue playing for Border.
She encouraged young girls to play sport but balance that with education.
“I really would like to encourage young girls to play sport to avoid things like teenage pregnancy and loitering around in the townships but that should go hand in hand with education,” she advised.
Dumke is not the only sports star to turn down a career on the field of play to focus on education.
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