It is evident what an efficient breeding ground Varsity Netball has become when one looks at the names in the latest Proteas group.
Out of the 16 players named last week in the touring squad for a Tri-Nations tournament in Jamaica, all but four made their mark in Varsity Netball. South Africa head off to Kingston in October to battle with Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.
A 13th member, Elmeré van der Berg, will soon make her Varsity Netball debut for NWU. She and teammate Jessica du Plessis are among the four new caps in the national team.
The 12 Proteas players with Varsity Netball experience are:
Lenize Potgieter (UJ 2013, Tuks 2014-2016)
Ine-Marí Venter (Tuks, 2014-2018)
Lefébre Rademan (Kovsies, 2015-2019)
Sigi Burger (NWU, 2015-2018)
Jessica du Plessis (NWU, 2017-2021)
Tshina Mdau (Tuks, 2014-2019)
Izette Griesel (Tuks, 2013-2016)
Khanyisa Chawane (Kovsies, 2015-2021)
Shadine van der Merwe (Tuks, 2013-2017)
Karla Pretorius (Kovsies, 2013-2015)
Simoné Rabie (NWU, 2016-2019)
Pretorius is the only player who was already a Protea when she made her Varsity Netball debut. In total, 23 players have now played Varsity Netball before making their Proteas debuts.
Proteas head coach Dorette Badenhorst and her assistant Dumisani Chauke also made their mark in Varsity Netball.
Badenhorst coached NWU with great success between 2013 and 2017. They won the title in 2015 and 2016 and were runners-up in 2013 and 2017. In 2014, they finished third.
Chauke played for the Madibaz in the inaugural tournament as a shooter and was one of the three finalists for the Player of the Tournament award. The following year she was back as head coach. In both 2014 and 2015, she guided them to fifth place.
Proteas captain Bongi Msomi also has an affiliation with Varsity Netball as she is the head coach of UJ.
By Ruan Bruwer
Photo: Halden Krog
