Johannesburg gears up for the National Netball championships in Rustenburg

This highly anticipated national championship is scheduled to run from October 1-7 in the North West, providing a stage for South Africa’s elite netball talent to vie for top honours in the sport.

Johannesburg’s remarkable upset victory against five-time champions, Tshwane with a score of 24-23 in last year’s thrilling final at the University of North West, has set the stage for their determined defense of the championships.

“Our preparations for the title defense are proceeding smoothly. Our primary objective is to secure our championships once again.  We’re determined to maintain our focus on our own performance and not be distracted by the competition from other teams. Our hunger to claim a second consecutive title is strong. This event stands as the most significant netball championship in the country, and we’re heading into it with a squad of twelve players,” Jordaan shared with SABC Sport.

Typically, the local championships are held in August, but this year, owing to the recently concluded Netball World Cup hosted in Cape Town in July/August, the event was rescheduled to a different date.  

Jordaan expressed her reservations regarding this shift in timing, highlighting the need for teams to have greater depth as they face the challenge of playing two games a day.

She also pointed out the anticipated hot weather in Rustenburg during October, which she believes will pose a significant test for the athletes.

“Everyone will be dealing with the same weather conditions, and the direct sunlight will undoubtedly challenge the players. The crucial strategy is to maintain consistency, approach each game one at a time, and have the capacity to rotate and refresh the squad when needed. We’re already in the midst of our training camp, and our preparations for the championships are well underway. While we haven’t made too many altercations to our team, we have provided opportunities to some promising young players. Adapting to outdoor play will present its own set of challenges due to the date changes,” noted Jordaan, who was a finalist for the Gauteng Sports Coach of the Year award in 2022.