With the 2023 Netball World Cup done and dusted, focus now shifts to the World Indoor Netball Association (WINA) Action Netball Tri-Series World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 August.
A total of eight teams will represent the South African Indoor Netball Federation. The teams are made up of 100 players, who were selected during the inter-provincial tournament in March as part of the under-19 ladies’, under-19 mixed, under-23 ladies’, under-23 mixed, ladies under-30, ladies’, men’s, and open mixed teams.
Among the players is 27-year-old Ruchelle Botha, a resident of Strand since 2017. She matriculated in 2014 and has always been passionate about an active lifestyle. “I participated in athletics, cross-country, tennis, softball, ringball and soccer, but my passion was, and always has been, netball. I started playing when I was seven years old.”
Among her highlights was captaining the Bokkie squad in Singapore and Malaysia at age 18. She was scouted and awarded a bursary to North West University in Potchefstroom, where she also played for North West province.
“I loved every moment, but I wasn’t happy. Cape Town had my heart and I wanted to return. At that time I was playing for the Gauteng ladies’ action netball team and the inter-provincial tournament was held in Montague Gardens.
“When we landed in Cape Town, I phoned my mom and told her I’m not going back home, as they lived in Pretoria at the time. I played in the tournament that week and didn’t go home. I came to live with my aunt in Strand. I only had my netball clothes, no car and no job. Just nine days later I found a job and the rest is history,” Botha recalled.
Since then, her family has moved back to the Helderberg.
Botha started playing action netball at the Brackenfell arena about three years ago and has represented the Western Province ladies’ team for the past two years. She was chosen for the SA team in March.
The Tri-Nations World Cup was launched in 2000 and takes place every three years on a rotational basis with South Africa, New Zealand and Australia competing.
The 2023 SA ladies’ team are the defending world champions of the sevens tournament and runners-up in the six-a-side competition, while the men’s and mixed teams finished third.
SA tour manager Hazel Coertze saif action netball is not supported by the national Department of Sport and Culture, so the players must each contribute R65 000.
“The players have shown great commitment in their fundraising efforts and are practicing hard. Leading sock manufacturer Falke South Africa has put their support behind the team,” Coertze said.
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For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/Action.Netball.
