Imange Solani hopes that her trip to the United Kingdom will give her perspective on how life could be if she can successfully move overseas to pursue a professional career as a netball player.
Solani’s team won the 2026 DStv Schools Netball Challenge (DSNC), powered by Bestmed Medical Scheme. Khanyolwethu Secondary School didn’t just walk away with gold medals, but they also earned themselves a trip to Britain where they will play in a series of friendly matches including a match against the England Under-18 side.
The DSCN, now in its sixth year, is divided into two streams, Botho and Ubuntu, giving schools from both urban and rural areas the same platform to experience the sport on the same level.
Although the 17-year-old wasn’t a fan of the sport at first, she couldn’t bear with the boredom and loneliness that she would experience while her primary school friends were at netball training.
“My Grade 2 teacher asked me to play because she could see that I was feeling lonely while watching the other kids play netball. I joined in and as time went by, I fell in love with it.
"I later joined the TBGM Netball Club that was close to my home but the team was not progressing in a way that my mother expected. I left the game for about six months or so. I was then recruited to join Celtics Netball Academy when I was Grade 7,” explained the wing attack.
The self-proclaimed daddy’s girl said her journey in the sport has been her father’s biggest pride. She said being the first in her family to travel overseas because of sport is one of the reasons she wants to continue making them proud.
“I am a daddy’s girl. My dad and I get along so well. He is always proud of all the medals that I have been able to bring home. We believe a lot in prayer and he knows that anything is possible through God.
"When we landed in London I realised that I made my father, mother and whole family proud. I received a message from my older sister who shared some words of encouragement and telling me I shouldn’t stop playing because netball will take me far,” she said.
Over the last few years it has become a norm to see a number of South African players receiving contracts in professional settings overseas. Solani said she sees herself as one of those players in the future.
“I see myself playing for the likes of the (Adelaide) Thunderbirds in the Suncorp Super Netball. Yes, I do think about playing in the Telkom Netball League too, but I want to play overseas as well.
"I also want to wear the green and gold for the Spar Proteas. I think seeing how other teams play in the UK will be an eye opening experience for me,” she said.