Former Limpopo Baobabs captain, Nthabiseng Mothutsi is enjoying her growth in Saudi Arabia. Mothutsi moved to the middle east in late 2023 after being roped in by the Saudi Netball Committee (SNC) to introduce the sport in the country.
At first, Mothutsi spent three months between December 2023 to March 2024 working alongside former Spar Proteas captain Zanele Mdodana laying the foundation of netball.
The programme also included coaching courses with both coaches and players, and the duo also worked with schools from Sri Lanka and Pakistan teaching them the basics of the sport. This was the federation’s aim to make netball one country’s major sports by getting more women and girls from the country to take part.
Mothutsi was later appointed the head coach of Saudi's senior national team, after she had just spent her debut coaching season in the Telkom Netball League. She led her home province’s side, the Limpopo Lilies, which campaigns in the TNL’s Division Two.
The former Big Brother Mzansi housemate got to lead the Saudi Arabia side to the 2024 Asian Women’s Netball Championship for the first time since its inception in 1985.
Mothutsi said the opportunity to move to the Middle Eastern country was appealing to her as she shared the SNC’s vision of growing the sport.
“The initial objective was to get netball going in the Kingdom and to ensure that we are working towards project 2030. Saudi Arabia is working towards establishing as many sports as possible, especially for women.
"They already had football, basketball and other sporting codes that they shared with men. So having netball being their own independent sport.
"In the two years that I was with the Saudi Netball Federation, I managed to establish a league that has about nine teams. There’s been a lot of netball in schools and we’re still trying to push a lot of netball in school because that is where I believe it starts.
"At grassroots, developing them from a young age instead of focusing too much on adults but at the moment it is very strong in the communities. There’s a lot of netball happening in Riyadh and it’s exciting to see,” explained Mothutsi.
Her work with the SANF didn’t go unnoticed. She now leads the Elite Sports Academy as the netball manager in Saudi. However she hasn’t cut ties with the SNC and her work with the Academy will reach more countries.
“They (Elite) heard about me, saw the work I had been doing in Saudi with the federation, they hit me up. They said ‘we are looking to grow the sport and we are potentially trying to make it one big movement in the Middle East for women and children.’
"Because netball is the reason why I am in the middle east, I took the job because that is what I believe I am here for. I decided I will go to Elite, work with the younger generation and make it a feeder system of the federation,” she said.
Even though the former goalkeeper has been enjoying her time in the Kingdom, she admits that it hasn’t been the easiest part of her journey.
“It’s been the biggest challenge of my life. It’s been a series of character development moments. I have learnt so much about myself and about my abilities. I have come to appreciate the little things that I learnt back at home that I kind of underestimated.
"It has been a roller coaster of many things, many emotions but because I like to believe that I am resilient and have a big heart, it erases the many adversities that have challenged me throughout my stay in Saudi Arabia,” she said.
The former player says she hopes that her contribution to the people of the Middle East will leave a lasting impression.
“I want netball to be a safe space for a lot of women, I want it to be what it was for me when I was growing up. I want people to remember me for the hard work, passion and how seriously I take people, gave up so much of myself to build this empire that is going to benefit everyone,” she said.
Mothutsi has called the Middle Eastern country home for the last two years, but she admits that she does miss home. She has met acquaintances and friends from South Africa living in Saudi, whom she often gets together with to feel home. However, she admits that there is nothing like being in Mzansi.
“I miss home every single day. I miss the comfort of being at home, although I know that comfort doesn’t come with growth. Every expat that is here, is here to work so it is hard to make those kind of bonds and for me that is what I miss.
"I miss my community back home. I miss the food and the netball teams that I was involved with. Back in Limpopo I could just go home and have a big laugh then my spirit is revived. There’s a huge community of South Africans here, a lot of them are teachers and nurses, we hang out here,” she said.