Proteas legend Phumza Maweni looks ahead to the National Netball Championships

Maweni, who serves as the assistant coach for the rising Proteas team, works closely with her longtime friend and head coach, Precious Mthembu.

Together, they led the Baby Proteas to secure a spot in next year’s World Cup in Gibraltar, where they will face Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Malawi in Pool D. The championships will serve as key preparation for the Baby Proteas ahead of the global competition.

Last year, Maweni was the assistant coach for Western Cape in Rustenburg, and she will reprise the same role this year, this time representing the national team.

As the second most-capped player in Proteas history with 121 appearances, behind only Bongiwe Msomi’s 171, Maweni is well-acquainted with the demands of this annual tournament, especially with the intense heat expected during the competition.

"We are committed to working hard to ensure the Under-21 team gets the crucial game time they need. I will be working with Precious Mthembu to help the girls prepare for the World Cup. We had originally planned a series against the Malawi Under-21 team at Ellis Park, but unfortunately, it couldn't take place. This was a missed opportunity for us to prepare for the tournament, as most of our players are in universities across the country and had exams. We decided to cancel the series and instead focus on playing at the national championships," said Maweni in her interview with SABC Sport.

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When the Baby Proteas qualified for the World Cup last year at the University of Pretoria, Maweni was present for six days of the long weekend tournament.

However, she missed the final victory against Malawi after the passing of her mother, which led her to leave camp.

The team went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations, dedicating the triumph to her.

A year has passed since her mother's death, and Maweni remains deeply grateful for the unwavering support of the head coach and her teammates during that difficult time.

“It was incredibly difficult, and death is unpredictable. I made sure to reach out to Precious and encourage them to win the final. The team sent a lot of love and messages, and they won the qualifiers. After the funeral, they called me to celebrate, even though I was still grieving. But life goes on. I’m looking forward to spending the entire week of netball with them at Ellis Park,” Maweni added.