From the moment she could walk, Caylin MacKenzie, 15, was a water baby, swimming solo at just 18 months old, she’s always craved to be underwater. “I mermaid,” she delightfully declared as a baby.
Yet this Hudson Park grade 10 pupil from Beacon Bay rides to the School waterpolo SA (SWPSA) team, set to represent SA Schools at the Australian Youth waterpolo Championships in Brisbane this April, is nothing short of miraculous.
In 2013, surgeons removed a growth from her cochlea, leaving her completely deaf in her left ear, but that has never stood in her way.
Diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech at age four, MacKenzie refused to be sidelined.
Through a decade of grueling speech therapy, she shattered barriers, entered mainstream schooling, and turned personal drive into triumph.
“I was very emotional when I got selected into the squad. This has been my biggest achievement,” she said.
MacKenzie was introduced to waterpolo via flipper ball at age eight, and the spark ignited. By 12, after her first tour she was hooked, her mentor Le Roux Loock spotted her goalkeeping potential, launching her ascent.
“My amazing support structure has always motivated me to push harder.”
Her preparation for the December 2025 Waterpolo Interprovincial tournament where her selection was sealed meant endless water drills, land training, and mental coaching.
Over the festive break, she maintained peak fitness: “The real work begins now.”
She says her long hours of training really paid off.
“I’m proud of myself. Representing SA at a young age means a lot to me, as not only do I achieve sports goals but also my own personal goals.
“The nice thing is I can break barriers and play a new competition at international level,” she said.
Under the auspices of Loock, MacKenzie’s cruise took off.
“As each year has gone on and the hard work has been paying off for myself and my team. My friends, coaches, family and team mates have motivated me to work harder and inspired me to keep pushing,” MacKenzie says.
“With that training we were all extremely fit but with that being three weeks ago, I had to maintain my fitness levels over the festive season.
“The real work will begin now and I will have to put in a lot more hours to push to stay on top.”
She says she was honing her long passes, explosive height out of the water, shooter defense, and shot precision, skills she has sharpened since the SA U15 development tournament in Zimbabwe last April.
She now finds it easier to balance schoolwork and sport training by creating realistic schedules.
“Making time and structured planning can open a lot of opportunities with sport, while still maintaining good academics at school.
“But, now I am looking forward to learning from different teams and travelling with friends, as well as meeting new people and being involved in new cultures.
“Teamwork is key as each player brings strengths.
“As goalkeeper, I read the game, communicate, and feed accurate long shots to the frontline.”
Her parents, Bronwyn and Morne Mackenzie, told the Go they were extremely proud to see her name on the SWPSA selection. Morne says it was an emotional experience to see their child achieve one of her dreams.
“The opportunity is absolutely fantastic for Caylin and her teammates to be able to represent SA on an international platform,” Morne said.
“Definitely they’ve raised the bar of experience and exposure in a sport.”
Brownyn said her daughter’s love for water started from an extremely young age, swimming solo from 18 months old.
“She always wanted to be underwater! In her words ‘I mermaid.’ She seemed to be more head under the water than above until she was 12, when she attended her first waterpolo tour. Now she making her mark in the sport.”
Morne said Caylin through the game, has made strong friendships, developed great sportsmanship and learned to own her losses as much as the victories.
“We truly are blessed to have such a driven young lady that still loves to have fun and enjoy the moment, but knows when it is time to tighten it up and put the blood sweat and tears into her every move.”
Bronwyn says their star player has an ideal support group in their family.
“From granny and pop, big sister Kiara, aunty Mercia in Johannesburg. Morne and I as parents made sure that wouldn’t miss a single game.
“It comes with early morning muffins making, 4.15am wake up call, to late evenings of only getting home by 8pm during school nights.
“Ensuring healthy eating and making sure there is always a ton of food in the fridge. Training can truly bring on the munchies,” Bronwyn said.
She said their motto to her was to “always remember to have fun and enjoy every moment” and that seeing her thriving and her achievements makes their: “sacrifices a lot more bearable”.
“As a family, we have had to hold on the weekends away or December get aways as the cost of tours is expensive. Fortunately, we have some awesome friends that feel like family and our children are all part of the waterpolo family tribe.”
Caylin’s tip for prospects is proactive game reading, communication, precision passes because waterpolo is 100% team.
Caylin’s 2025 Highlights: U15 SA rep, Africa Aquatics Women’s Development Tournament, Harare: top goalkeeper. Buffalo City Winter League Senior Girls: goalkeeper of tournament (both seasons). Woodridge Stayers: gold, team selection, goalkeeper of tournament. Clarendon Centennial U15: gold, team selection, goalkeeper of tournament. Hanna Muller Trophy: most promising BC junior girl. Hudson Park: most outstanding U15 sportswoman.
In April, MacKenzie will be joined by seven local players who have also made the cut, Kate van Biljon, Jodi Carr, Emily Hattingh, Hannah Hattighn, Lily Collins, Julia Mackenzie, Siliziwe Giyose, Kiera-Yenn Naidoo.
If you are interested in sponsoring Caylin for her trip, please contact Morne on 083-382-0858 or Bronwyn 084-581-9812.
