Diocesan College, known as Bishops, has topped schoolboy water polo for two seasons by winning every major tournament entered. Their success stems from team culture, squad depth, tactics and mental preparation. Coach Jabs Sibiya's arrival in 2022 marked a key turning point.
Diocesan College, commonly called Bishops, achieved its first win at the South African College High School (Sacs) Water Polo Tournament in 2024, a title absent since the event began in 1984. Since then, Bishops has secured victories in all major competitions, including the St Stithians Water Polo Invitational in 2025, the St Andrew’s College Shield in 2026, back-to-back King Edward VII School (KES) titles, three consecutive Sacs Nite Series wins, and the Mazinter Cup. This run has kept them at number one on SA School Sports rankings from October 2024 onward. Jabs Sibiya joined as head coach in 2022 after leaving Sacs. He focused first on culture: 'We spent our first year... really getting the culture right, making sure that we have an environment that the kids... want to be a part of.' They prioritised fair play awards and basics like thanking officials. Tactically, Bishops shifted from a physical style to one that is 'super-fast, super-fit, super-mobile.' Squad depth grew through junior alignment, led by Lwazi Madi, and training with University of Cape Town (UCT). Sacs coach Devon Card noted: 'They have a great coaching structure, and when Jabs [Sibiya] came in he had a massive impact... from a cultural point of view.' Rowan Belchers, with Bishops since 2025, added mental strength: 'The missing piece was the glue that brought everything together [mental preparedness].' He introduced 'hunger' to boost intensity. While Sacs holds strong historical records, Bishops' recent streak stands out. Bishops first team titles: Sacs invitational (Oct 2024), Sacs Nite Series (Feb 2025), KES Invitational (March 2025), St Stithians (Oct 2025), St Andrews Shield (Jan 2026), Sacs Nite Series (Feb 2026), KES (Feb 2026), Mazinter Cup (Mar 2026).
