The Chris Hani District u/21 and senior netball teams are leaving tomorrow, August 6, for this year’s SPAR Netball Championships u/21 and Senior
SA National Netball Championships to be held in Potchefstroom, North West
Province next week.
The two district teams were selected
from six municipal teams that took part in the district trials that were held
at Man’s Pub and Braai Netball Courts in Komani last month.
Chris Hani District Netball Association Co-Ordinator Nonkosi Mba said the
team is aiming for at least a knockout stage in the tournament to improve their
performance in the past.
“We have been longing to get out of the group stages ever since we started participating in this tournament. It
would be great for the girls to play in the knockouts because anything can
happen in that stage,” said
Mba.
She also said the players are upbeat
and focused on the games despite last year’s tragedy after four people making their way to the
tournament died in a bus accident.
The bus carrying two teams from the OR
Tambo District was involved in an accident in Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape.
There are some of the new faces who will
be playing for the first time in the SPAR Netball Championships u/21 and
Senior SA National Netball Championships and one of those players is Lihle
Mbutana from Sakhisizwe Local Municipality.
Mbutana said she is scared but she is looking
forward to the challenge of facing some of the best players in SA Netball.
“I feel very happy that I will be playing in this tournament. It is a
great honour to be sharing a netball court with some of the greatest players in
SA Netball. The senior players have helped us to
settle in quickly as they motivate us a lot,” said Mbutana.
The SPAR Netball Championships u/21 and
Senior SA National Netball Championships will be played at North West
University Eagles Club Netball Courts from Sunday, August 7 to Saturday, August
13.
