The icy and chilly weather didn’t deter the spirited KwaZulu-Natal schools taking part in the coaching clinics of the DStv Schools Netball Challenge (DSNC), powered by Bestmed Medical Scheme.
Kwamziwentsha High School and Sizanani Secondary School will represent the province at the Netball Challenge national finals in the Ubuntu division set for 23 to 25 July at the Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg. Both sides will be making their debuts at the national competition.
The competition is divided into two streams, Botho and Ubuntu, for schools in both rural and urban areas, for an equal opportunity to showcase their talent on the national stage.
Former Spar Proteas goalkeeper Phumza Maweni led the daylong session at the Cecil Emmett Hall in Vryheid. The Free State and the Northern Cape are the next provinces that will experience these clinics. Limpopo was the first to host.
The clinics are the DSNC’s effort to help prepare schools from the Ubuntu stream for the nationals. Kwamziwentsha’s centre Sinakhokonke Nyawo says they are delighted to be representing KZN at the Netball Challenge nationals for the first time.
“It was very important for us to win at the provincials. We are delighted because it will be our first time playing in the national finals. It’s going to give us an opportunity to show the kind of people we are, and maybe that will also help us succeed. I would be happy if we perform well at the nationals and hopefully even become the champions. Netball is our life, and winning would mean a lot because we could even get selected and progress to Phumza’s level,” says Nyawo.
'GREAT LESSONS'
She adds that learning from the Proteas legend will go a long way in their preparations and performance at the nationals.
“The lessons will help us a great deal. She taught us a lot of things that she know and we didn’t. I think listening to her and doing the things she taught us will help us because we want to do well at the nationals. She showed us the importance of netball, and there’s a lot that you can achieve with netball,” she says.
Sizanani defeated 2024 champions Khombindlela High School in the semifinals of the KZN provincial finals to qualify for their first national finals. Coach Dumisani Khumalo says
“I am very honoured to have this chance to lead my team at the nationals. For me as well, it is an experience and an exposure. I am learning a lot of things along the way. We didn’t know they were the 2024 champions before we faced them, but upon finding out, we were thrilled because it showed that we can perform at a high level. This training clinic is a great motivation to the players that it is possible for them to become anything they want in life,” says Khumalo.