Elsje Jordaan on turning Johannesburg into a netball powerhouse

Under her guidance, the team clinched the Spar Senior National Championships three years in a row, alongside several Telkom Netball League titles. 

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The province has consistently produced top talent for the Proteas, including the retired captain Bongiwe Msomi, now the coach of their Under-21 team.

In an interview with SABC Sport, Jordaan shared how she transformed the province’s fortunes, shaping Johannesburg into a fiercely competitive force in the sport.

''Three years ago when Bongi was my captain at the Fireballs, we had a discussion to say we wanted to change the narrative for Johannesburg netball. Here we are three years later and I am super proud of her, she retired and started  to pick up coaching. We are good friends - we share a lot of knowledge and I'm excited for her journey,'' said Jordaan.

Jordaan praised Johannesburg for consistently producing top players, highlighting their ability to develop talent for the national team. This year, they secured their third consecutive national championships title, defeating Mangaung 53-52 at Ellis Park Arena, despite the absence of several Proteas players, demonstrating the depth of their squad.

''You know, we lost six national players, four to the Proteas and two under-21s, and we still went for double gold. This says a lot about the standard of Johannesburg netball and the players who feed in the Johannesburg A system,'' added Jordaan.

Jordaan is confident about Johannesburg netball's prospects as she aims to reclaim the Telkom Netball League title from the Free State Crinums and defend their national championship title in the upcoming year.