Even though her creative moves in the attacking third were pleasing and captivating to viewers around the world, Kamogelo Maseko is in no rush to move overseas.
The goal attack and goal shooter was part of Norma Plummer’s squad that faced Netball World Cup champions, Australia in a three-test match in October.
The Gauteng Jaguars player’s performance was so impressive she scored herself the Most Valuable Player accolade in the second test which South Africa lost 67-52 and eventually lost the series to the Diamonds.
On Point Kamo! 💪#SPARProteas https://t.co/QZYnMxUqEf
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) October 30, 2023
Although that performance might have drawn attention from clubs around the world, Maseko says she is not eyeing a move overseas as yet.
She says her focus is to finish her degree at the University of Pretoria before she can think about pursuing a professional career in another country.
“I believe in timing but for now my main priority is my academics. I wouldn’t want to go abroad without having completed my studies. I wouldn’t want my netball career to affect my schooling because I have already prioritised netball so much over my academics. I think once I am done with school and have my degree then it is something I can consider. I wouldn’t take the opportunity if I got it now,” says Maseko.
Although the Tuks captain had donned the green and gold, she had never played against the top ranked teams in the world.
She made her debut in the test match between South Africa and the Malawi Queens in 2020. She was 18 years old.
The sports science student says getting on the court against the World Champions was a moment she had dreamed about for years.
“It was a dream come true, being on the international stage for the first time in my life. It is something I have been working towards. Getting an opportunity against a team that is number one in the world is something that seemed would be hard.
"I didn’t believe in myself, I had doubts but it all went back to the basics. I remember coming up against Courtney Bruce, I mean she’s the best defender in the world, thinking how am I going to do this? This is my first time. I remember going into that court our captain, Bongiwe came up to me and said ‘I know you’re nervous but you have nothing to lose. Just do your best.’ I think that is a match I will never forget, I think that is my biggest achievement this year,” she recalls.
2023 A PLATFORM FOR GROWTH
Maseko was one of the 24 players that Netball South Africa had contracted however she didn’t make the final 15 player squad that would represent South Africa at the World Cup in Cape Town.
Despite missing out on playing for her country in the biggest netball tournament, Maseko reached other milestones this year.
She was part of the team that won the Telkom Netball League with the six-time champions, Jaguars as well as the Varsity Netball tournament with Tuks.
She reckons that 2023 is a year that provided her with a platform for growth.
“2023 was a year of success for me, not making the World Cup team helped me realise something about myself. It has helped me be more resilient and made me realise that the hard work I was putting in was the bare minimum. It was the expectation, what was required of me. It was nothing special. So I had to dig deep and look for that one percent. I think the rejection from the World Cup team helped guide me to being a better version of myself. It was a great year for me despite the disappointments, this year helped me grow a lot,” she says.
Following several disappointments on the court this year, including a sixth place finish at the World Cup, Maseko hopes the team will finish the year with some positives.
The Proteas take on the silver medallists, England in a three-test series in Manchester and Nottingham.
Congratulations to Kamogelo Maseko who has joined us at Step Out 7 and who has been selected to represent South Africa in their 3 match netball Test Series in England in December. pic.twitter.com/8L0X3ksImg
— Step Out 7 (@stepout_7) November 23, 2023
She says this is a chance to redeem themselves.
“It’s been a tough year, it has been a difficult year for us but we know that everything that we have done throughout the year has been a build up to this very last tournament. We knew we had the potential to succeed coming back from Australia and compete against one of the toughest teams.
"For us it’s about realising our potential, we know what it can do for us as a team going forward. It’s very important for us to kind of redeem ourselves because of our performance in the World Cup and the last game wasn’t a true reflection of what we are. It was a few mistakes here and there. We are going to use this to redeem ourselves and to prove to ourselves that we can do it,” she says.
Tune in and show your support Mzansi 🙌 as the SPAR Proteas take on the Vitality Roses 5-10 December! 🏴🆚🇿🇦
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) December 2, 2023
All matches LIVE on SuperSport 📺#SPARProteas pic.twitter.com/4yjEOTFihC