TRIPLETS ARE a rarity, triplets excelling at the same sport, even more so.
At Kellits High School, triplets play on the same under-16 netball team.
Fifteen-year-olds Shanay, Sheamoy, and Shenelle Stewart are all key members of the Kellits High under-16 netball team in Clarendon, now contesting the ISSA Rural Schoolgirl Netball Competition.
All three play attacking roles – Shanay at goal shoot, Sheamoy at goal attack, and Shenelle at wing attack – meaning the ball is constantly flowing through their hands during matches.
At a recent game against Denbigh High, The Sunday Gleaner caught up with the sisters, who shared their journey.
“We all love playing netball,” they said together. “It helps to build comradery with our teammates,” added Sheamoy, who naturally stepped in as the spokesperson.
They revealed that they’ve almost always been in the same class.
“Except for one occasion, we’ve been together from Primary School. Only in Grade 7 we were separated, but since Grade 8 we’ve been back together,” said Shenelle. The trio is now in Grade 10.
According to Shanay, telling them apart is a challenge for almost everyone. “At school and in our district, it’s very hard for people to identify us, and sometimes we play tricks on our teachers. In the community they just call us ‘Trippy’ or ‘Triplet’,” she said, laughing.
“It feels wonderful to be playing together on the same team – and even better that we can trick people sometimes.” She added that even their father struggles to tell them apart, though their mother has no trouble at all.
Their coach, Alaine Rochester, who is in her fourth month at Kellits High, agreed that identifying all three isn’t always easy – but she has figured out her own method.
“I don’t have much of a problem,” she said. “Shanay has a spot on her ear, one has a slightly wider forehead, and the other is very humble. Most times, I see Sheamoy first, and although they try to trick me, it doesn’t work.”
Rochester praised the girls warmly.
“They are a wonderful set of girls – very loving to each other and to their teammates. Shanay is the peacemaker; she’s always the one to step in and sort things out when there’s a dispute. It feels very special to be working with them.”
All three sisters share a single dream for the future. “We want to be surgeons,” they declared in unison – Shanay and Shenelle aiming to become brain surgeons, while Sheamoy wants to be a heart surgeon.
“I want to explore the heart more and find the cure for cancer,” Sheamoy said confidently.
A triple bond, a triple threat, and a triple dose of ambition – Kellits High may just be nurturing three future medical pioneers.
