Netball South Africa (NSA) believes it is on the right path as it works towards the 2027 Netball World Cup.
The federation launched the #NetballFridays as the world marked 300 days to go until the global spectacle that will be hosted in Sydney, Australia, from 25 August to 5 September.
NSA president Mami Diale hopes that the country will better their position in the world rankings. South Africa currently sit in fifth position behind Jamaica.
The Spar Proteas will be hoping to better their finish at the tournament, following a disappointing sixth-place finish at the 2023 edition on home soil.
However, Diale says they will not be putting any pressure on the team in terms but they will be looking for an improved performance on their recent competitions.
“The target is simple, performance. We will be happy as Netball South Africa if we go up the rankings. Getting into the top four (semifinals) will be a bonus. That will be good for us. We understand that it takes one step at a time, we have shown that it is possible especially when we played against England.
We showed our strength. Go to Sydney, represent South Africa with pride and dignity. Perform to your utmost best, we are behind you. We will give you all the resources you need,” says Diale.
RALLYING CALL
Diale has urged South Africans to rally behind the senior national team at the tournament.
“Today was remarkable for us. It is the official countdown to the World Cup. This is a sign to South Africa that they should support our girls, we want people to wear these t-shirts every Friday to show support to the Spar Proteas. It is important for South Africa to show support to the team because these girls give their all and represent us with pride,” adds the president.
Proteas coach Jenny van Dyk is relishing leading the team to her first World Cup. She says the team has been building towards the global competition over the last two years and that the Africa Cup in Kenya played an important role in expanding the team’s depth to prepare for all eventualities.
“As a squad, we have learnt a lot and we have grown tremendously. We understand the workings of having to perform against a top world class team. We are eager to get out there and embrace the challenge of going to this World Cup. There is not a lot of time left for us but luckily we have been working towards this for the last two years. The Africa Cup really gave us the opportunity to create depth within our squad.
In some of the other World Cups and Commonwealth Games we lost crucial players just before the tournaments started, so for us this was one of the final ticks to accomplish, with the lessons learnt at the Commonwealth Games,” says Van Dyk.
VAN DYK BELIEVES IN HER TEAM
The former Gauteng Jaguars coach understands that her first World Cup will not be easy. However, she believes that her team has been growing from strength to strength over the last two years.
“We have been ticking off so many small boxes and one per centres over the past two years. We are closing down on that margin every time we play, understanding that the majority of the 2023 World Cup team is not with us. It is going to take absolutely everything we have. We have to play for the country, we have to dig deep. It’s going to take a lot of heart, a lot of netball brains and confidence. It’s that whole thing of stop admiring, start becoming. Really creating that mindset and attitude that we don’t have to stand back for anybody and that we are capable,” she says.
NEW ERA
The senior national team has undergone a number of changes since the 2023 edition. Out of the 15 players that former coach, Norma Plummer took to the competition, a total of nine are no longer with the team.
Karla Pretorius, Bongiwe Msomi, Phumza Maweni, Izette Griesel, Lenize Potgieter and Shadine van der Merwe have all retired from the game.
Van Dyk is confident that her current players, including newer Proteas are capable of competing on a global stage.
“I was quite excited after the Telkom Netball League this year, I could see a lot of our players stepping up especially with our SA Under-21 team that performed so well at the World Cup, finishing fourth.
I think that has been such a tremendous experience for them, it has been showing in the way they play. We are in a good position where we are starting to create layers and depth per position.
We hope that can take us a long way. They still need enough opportunities to compete at the highest level in order for them to be really ready for it. That is why the Africa Cup was so important to give some of those players a go,” she says.