The SPAR Baby Proteas (under-21) will start their 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar this weekend.
The team will do battle in Pool D alongside Fiji, Barbados, Malawi, and Trinidad & Tobago. Their first match will be against Barbados at 19:00 on Saturday 20 September.
It is the first time the tournament has been held since the edition held in Botswana in 2017, where the Baby Proteas ended in sixth place. The 2021 tournament, which was to be held in Fiji, was cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Coach Precious Mthembu assembled her 12-player team, including three reserves, and left South Africa on Wednesday 10 September. They made a pit stop in London for two practice matches against Hertfordshire University and the England under-21 team.
GETTING IT RIGHT
At a press conference on Wednesday 17 September Mthembu emphasised the importance of playing these matches, as it gave her a good understanding of where her charges are and what they need to work ahead of the competition.
“For us it was particularly important that we play these practice matches, because then you get to play different teams, try different combinations and styles. As the coaching team, with Phumza (Maweni) this gave us a clear indication of what we need to focus on, what we are doing right and so forth,” the head coach said.
“I am proud of my players because they really showed that they can step up and play competitively. The players were also surprised, because they realised that they could punch above their own weight.”
The team has settled in well in Gibraltar, already finishing a few training sessions ahead of their opening match. They will also play another warm-up match against the Cook Islands on Thursday 18 September.
KEY COMPONENTS
Player management will be very crucial for the South Africans ahead of and during the tournament, but Mthembu and Maweni understand this all too well as they have been in this position before. The coaching pair is mindful of how to manage each player and collectively in a team set-up.
“We are careful not to look at anyone as the youngest in the team,” Mthembu explained, “because this may just make them miss the opportunity to step-up and do great because they are timid. We encourage everyone to be their best and do their best. We have a great crop of leaders in the team such Phophi (Nematangari) and Karla (Victor); they have been able to motivate the rest of the team and keep everyone going.”
Mthembu and her charges have set a target to do very well in Pool D, along with the goals of improving their play and winning the knockout stages, the ultimate goal to get a podium finish.
UPCOMING POOL FIXTURES:
- Saturday 20 September at 19:00 – South Africa v Barbados;
- Monday 22 September at 10:00 – Trinidad & Tobago v South Africa;
- Tuesday 23 September at 17:00 – Malawi v South Africa; and
- Wednesday 24 September at 19:00 – Fiji v South Africa.
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