Londeka Buthelezi is currently playing her first Varsity Netball tournament and speaks about how coaches and teammates have helped her reach where she is today.
Londeka Buthelezi’s netball career started in primary school in Pietermaritzburg, where she played the sport for the sake of participation. She grew a love for it when she would go along to practice with her sister-in-law and saw how much potential netball had.
Buthelezi started taking it seriously in grade seven where she played for the under-13 provincial team, and played for the Alexandra High first team in grade ten, where she gives credit to her coach Mrs Thembi Mlotshwa for teaching her everything that she needed to know in order to be a good netball player. Last year Buthelezi was coached by Bongiwe Msomi, who also plays Wing Attack, and said that she helped her understand how to react in different situations.
Having joined the North-West University this year to start her BA in Sport Coaching and Human Movement Science, Buthelezi initially started in the Under-19 champs team.
Before long she moved up to the Under-21 team and less than a week later got a phone call from senior coach Elsunet du Plessis to join the first team. Buthelezi believes that Coach du Plessis saw something special in her because she was invited to join the Varsity Netball setup as a first year. Although she didn’t play the first game against Maties, she played the second week against UWC, where she went on to win the FNB Player of the Match award on her debut.
Buthelezi tells varsitysportssa.com, “Coach Elsunet is helping me grow. She’s always there in every situation I find myself in during the game, she helps me see mistakes I make and tells me how to fix it.”
When asked what she likes most about Varsity Netball, Buthelezi talks about how welcoming the NWU team environment has been.
“In my team we’re like family. They help you fix your mistakes, they tell you what to do and what not to do at certain times. I feel like they’re sisters and they don’t make me feel like a first year,” the 18-year-old says.
Although she appreciates all of her team mates, she says that senior players Didintle Keebine, captain Monique Reyneke and Jessica du Plessis make her feel the most at ease.
“Didintle is heavenly-sent, she helps me both on the court and off it. She hypes me up, tells me to do what you do best and let God shine from within me. She’s the one you go to if you’re feeling down or in doubt of your talent.”
“Monique was very scary to me at first. When it’s time to play and be serious she is focused and as a captain never looks down on you if you make a mistake and rather tells you how to fix it.”
“Jessica du Plessis, who was also intimidating in the beginning, has taught me how to handle defence, and what to do and not to do. She really helps me a lot, we even have our own hand signals so we know when tp cover for each other on the court.”
Catch NWU’s the decisive Round 7 match at Madibaz live on SuperSport 210 on Monday evening from 17:30, follow match updates on social media @varsitysportsSA or #ShowYourColours at the venue by buying your ticket using the Varsity Sports App (iOS and Android) or here: https://varsitysportsa.plankton.mobi/
By Bronwen Bain
