Family, friends and teammates remembered national softball player Almarie Kannemeyer for her infectious smile, competitive nature and ability to strike fear into the hearts of batters as one of the country’s leading pitchers.

Almarie passed away last week at the age 49 and would have celebrated her 50th birthday on Tuesday November 19 but instead family and friends packed the Belthorn community Hall in Crawford for her memorial service.

The hall is just meters away from the main diamond at the Turfhall Park softball complex where she once bamboozled batters with her renowned knuckle ball deliveries. She went on to represent South Africa at the 2010 World Softball Championship in Venezuela.

Almarie Kannemeyer in familiar pose while on club duty. Picture:Mark Ward

Noore Nacerodien, former president of Softball Western Province, now known as Cape Town Softball, recalled how Almarie, her mother Madeline and siblings arrived at the training venue and joined Ferness.

“They have just moved from Atlantis to Ottery and joined the club. That is where her journey started in Cape Town. She was introduced to the sport in Atlantis. She went on to join Battswood where she teamed up with the legendary Moey Carolus.

“Earlier this year she contacted me to assist her in getting her clearance from the Gauteng province where she resided and played for the now defunct club Saints. She was hellbent to play in the master’s tournament in George this year, unbeknown of her illness. It would seem our paths went full circle and I’m so glad that I could play that role, in this remarkable strong person's life journey,” Nacerodien said.

Moving tribute... Family and friends paid tribute to former national player Almarie Kannemeyer at a packed Belthorn community Hall in Crawford. Picture: Mark Ward

Almarie’s daughter, Dominique, 20, paid a moving tribute to her mother.

“Mommy was always positive about her illness, and she was our strong soldier. It was her faith that kept her going and that is a memory we will cherish; to stay positive. Go in peace, mom,” she said while supported by her twin sisters, Amber and Ashley.

Carolus recalled how Almarie first played as infield player and then he discovered and nurtured her pitching prowess, which saw her becoming one of the country’s leading pitchers.

She went on to join Glenthorn and then Westridge Yankees where she became a leading figure in the dream team which went on to dominate and inspire the local scene for almost a decade.

Lynn Lekay, teammate at Yankees and best friend, described Almarie as patient and soft-spoken. “A stark contrast to my louder, more impatient nature, yet our bond was one of mutual respect and deep affection,” she said.

“Her prowess as an athlete was unmatched and her legendary knuckleballs, and her graceful splashless dives in swimming pools were hallmarks of her athletic career. Yet, it was her role as a mother that brought her the greatest joy. The strength and dedication she showed, particularly during the challenging times following the birth of her twins, were a testament to her character.

“She faced life’s challenges, including the loss of her father and her own health struggles, with a calm dignity. In her final days, she conveyed a sense of peace and readiness, having shared with close friends that she had seen the Lord. Her life, marked by its joys and trials, ended with a bravery that was entirely characteristic of the way she lived, fully, with love and with an unbreakable spirit,” said Lekay.

Almarie was laid to rest at the Stikland cemetery on Saturday November 23.

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