Teams scored goals aplenty during the Netball Classic Elite Clash hosted at the Soweto Klipspruit Sports Centre recently.
The tournament was marked by ear-blasting music and loud squeals of ecstasy from Joburgers, which permeated the air of Region D, southwest of the Metro.
The City of Joburg’s Sport and Recreation Unit, within the Community Development Department, has joined the Johannesburg Netball Association in kicking off the netball season by hosting trials for both males and females.
At the recently held Netball Classic Elite Clash, the Johannesburg netball community had the opportunity to compete in trials and face off against top teams such as the Jaguars and Fireballs.
“Being here and having the opportunity to play amongst other teams is truly an honour. Netball is my passion. It inspires and motivates me, and it has shaped me into the person I am today,” said Kamogelo Maseko, goal attack and wing attack player for the Gauteng Jaguars.
“I’ve had so many incredible experiences and met so many amazing people, especially my netball family,” Maseko said passionately.
Teams pitted against each other included the Gauteng Cubs, Gauteng Sparks, Gauteng Eagles, and Gauteng Falcons.
Mandla Mdlalose, the City’s Deputy Director for Sport and Recreation, says before the Netball Classic Elite Clash, the department has been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to support netball at the grassroots level.
“Not only did female teams compete in this match, but also male teams. The wonderful thing about netball is that it is inclusive to all, regardless of creed or colour,” said Mdlalose.
The establishment of the Gauteng Senior Elite Male teams is an important high-performance development step as the teams will not only play an integral role in the preparation phase of the TNL teams, but match time serves as additional preparation for the male players who have been selected for the national squad, he added.
The two-day classic netball clash offered the City an opportunity to showcase its sporting infrastructure, contribute to netball sport development and vie towards the 2023 Netball World Cup to be hosted in South Africa.
Written by Ntombifuthi Junerose Nkosi
22/03/2022