Discipline, dedication, diabetes – meeting the challenges

Crawford College (Sandton) matriculant Dina Tchelet was serious about academics, but that didn’t stop her from focusing on playing for Maccabi and interprovincial tennis, as well as becoming a member of the Johannesburg Junior Council and the student executive at her school. All this, while managing Type 1 diabetes.

Dina moved to Crawford in Grade 8, and has been a passionate tennis player since then. “I had to learn to manage my six-day week of tennis while maintaining the best marks possible,” she said.

She was selected to play tennis for Maccabi South Africa in 2019 and 2022, and represented Gauteng at interprovincial level throughout her high school career.

“I developed a structured routine to balance my academics, tennis, and personal life,” she said. “It included making countless timetables, managing my time wisely, and being disciplined. I’ve maintained a position in the top 20 academically every year from the beginning of Grade 8 until the end of matric. As soon as I was given an assignment, I’d complete it to stay steady and calm while still being able to play tennis as often as I did,” she said.

“As much as I’ve managed to navigate the complexities of high school, it hasn’t been a smooth ride. At times, I felt overwhelmed and stressed about meeting deadlines, but the unwavering support of my teachers, family, and friends made my high school journey that much easier. The development of a strong work ethic was the key factor to me being able to achieve the goals I set for myself.”

In Grade 11, she was elected to the Johannesburg Junior Council, occupying a management role. She was also selected to be part of the Interact Board at Crawford. “I developed a passion for community service and helping the broader community,” she said. “I learnt the importance of gratitude and empathy. It was the most incredible opportunity.”

Instead of slowing down to focus on her studies during her matric year, it became the busiest and most challenging of all her years. She was elected house captain, helping to organise sports days and inspire school spirit in sport. She was also elected onto the student executive body by her peers and the judiciary by the student executive body. “It was one of my proudest moments as I had achieved everything I had worked for,” Tchelet said.

On top of it all, she had to manage diabetes. “I was diagnosed at 16 months old, so it’s all I’ve ever known. I’ve never let diabetes define me or stand in the way of any of the goals I have set for myself. However, behind closed doors, there were moments when I struggled and times I wanted to give up, yet I reminded myself of the future and how blessed I was to have support.”

Looking back, she reiterates that her proudest achievements weren’t the accolades she received, but the resilience built as a result of navigating each obstacle.