In a stirring display of grit, teamwork and determination, Hillside Technical High School secured their third Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Schools Chess Playoffs title in the school’s history, following a nail-biting final round victory against Westering High School at St Thomas Auditorium in Gelvandale.
The annual tournament, held on 18 October, saw sixteen qualifying teams from across the NMB Municipality compete in a Swiss round-robin format, with Hillside coming from behind to claim the prestigious title. Westering High School finished second, whilst Nzondolela A took third place.
“This team is very special and humble, and they never get ahead of themselves,” said team coach, Ashwell Hart. “Despite many of them coming from less affluent areas, this does not deter them from performing well and giving their best. We had three matriculants participating, and we are already looking ahead to building this team to become a force to be reckoned with going into the new year.”
The emotional scenes following the victory showcased the team’s unity and determination. Hillside Technical High School Principal Nythil Paulsen praised the team’s character: “This team has made our school proud,” he shared. “To come from behind and still win shows character when it matters most. This is the culture that we try to instil in learners at our beautiful institution.”
Outgoing team captain Ihshaan Darling reflected on the experience: “It was a humbling experience to be leading such a talented and skilful team. Going into the final round, we had a belief that we could do this. We are grateful and blessed.”
Chess at Hillside Technical High School was established in 2015, with the programme showing significant growth amongst school learners.
The school’s 35-member chess club is divided into two categories: 20 juniors (Grades 8-9) and 15 seniors (Grades 10-12). Students also participate in online tournaments through platforms such as lichess.org and Chess.com to gain exposure and rating points.
Provincial and national recognition
This year has been particularly successful for Hillside, with the team winning the Northern Areas Playoffs on 11 October before claiming the High Schools League title a week later, ranking first out of 16 qualifying schools.
Ten Hillside players were selected to represent the school based on their performance throughout the year:
Hart noted that whilst there were no Winter Games for chess this year, schools were encouraged to participate in the online AlexForbes Battle Boards 2025 Provincial Championships – Eastern Cape competition.
“The Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, annually hosts the Winter Games,” he explained. “The criteria to reach the Provincial Trials are that the seven top players in various age categories are selected at District Trials, with the top seven are then selected to represent the province at the National Chess Championships Tournament.”
The team’s victory represents not just athletic achievement but a testament to the power of perseverance and community support in overcoming socio-economic challenges.
The Hillside Chess Team’s achievements continue to be a source of pride for our school. Our learners have demonstrated outstanding skill, discipline and sportsmanship in both local and national competitions,” said Paulsen. “The dedication and support from our teachers, parents and our coach have been instrumental in achieving these excellent results. As a school, we look forward to building on this success and inspiring more learners to join chess as an enjoyable and competitive co-curricular activity.”
