On Friday 18 October, the cream of the continent’s netball crop will converge at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town to compete in the Africa Netball Cup. Lesotho, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania will, along with South Africa as the host nation, compete to secure this much sought after trophy.

South Africa’s Protea squad also includes a number of former and one current North-West University (NWU) players.

The NWU’s current first team netball captain Monique Reyneke is an integral part of the squad, while former NWU stars Sigi Burger, Romé Dreyer and Renske Stolz are all familiar faces. They will be joined in the Mother City by former NWU coach and current Protea head coach Dorette Badenhorst, who guided the foursome to stratospheric results. 

“The Africa Cup is a wonderful new opportunity and a great platform to give exposure to younger players and is also a different kind of netball,” says NWU head coach Elsunet du Plessis, who also played with a number of the NWU players in the squad.

“Monique is a hard worker and a phenomenal leader, and while Romé is more reserved, she is always willing to help those around her.

“Sigi is loud and at the centre of the squad’s spirit and will always make you laugh. I’ve never really played with Renske, but as part of the NWU’s management team I admired her composure and ability to make those long shots,” adds Elsunet.

Then there is Dorette Badenhorst with whom she shared a long and very rewarding journey.

“Yes, Dorette and I go way back. I played under her and worked with her for a long time. Tactically and positional point of view she is a brilliant coach,” she adds.

The South Africans will first face Malawi on Friday, 18 October, and will be taking on Lesotho the following day. On Sunday the Proteas will face Zambia, and on Monday, 21 October the playoffs will start.

 NWU head netball coach Elsunet du Plessis says she is proud of the former and one current NWU players in the Protea squad.