Netball Captains. Schools That Rock kicked off with a new sport series. The captains from our schools’ first netball teams tell us more about their captaincy. Our sixth goal scored in this Netball Captains series is by Welisa Buthelezi 1st netball team captain of Curro Waterfall, Midrand, Gauteng.
“I started playing netball at the age of 9 years old. Netball is a very big part of my life and has helped me become the netball player that I am today. It has taught me all about resilience and preserverance. I enjoy keeping fit and healthy and ever since I’ve played I’ve grown great passion for it.
The position I currently play, is Centre. To be a good netball player requires you to be able to play all positions on the court. I can play all positions on the netball court. Whatever position you’r put in, that’s the passion you have to have to get turnovers and show off what you can do and be that player.
I was appointed as captain for the first time in 2013.
Our team have two training sessions per week at school. However, I personally train five days a week. Due to the length of a netball game, continuous training is very important to become the best netball player you can be.
My most stressful game was on 18 May 2017 at the Gelofte night series against Gelofte Skool. This was a tough game because at that moment I realised that players had trained harder, they were stronger, they were faster and as a result netball has become more physical. That was when I realised and I also needed to train harder so that I could become stronger and faster.
Most exciting game
My most exciting game was the first time I’d ever played a netball game in 2014. That was the first time I realised that netball was something I wanted to do on a professional level! I definitely plan on doing netball after school. I plan to play at professional level. My goals within the next three years is to be the best version of myself. I want to grow to become a fair and committed player. I want to be an example of a focused and passionate player.
My worst netball performance has taught me to improve my reaction time, not only on the court but also off the court. I’ve learnt that I need to be a good decision maker, otherwise it will not only cost me, but my whole teams performance.
My goal I want to accomplish, is to become a professional netball player and to coach young boys and girls who aspire to become netball players. I also want to give young aspiring netball players a chance to improve their skills development, offence as well as defense skills.
Ranking my current top five priorities in life:
- God
- Family
- Academics
- Netball
- Friendship
Any hobbies or interests outside of netball? Yes, I do have other interests outside of netball. I am interested in basketball, singing and running. I have done local 10KM races in the past, but due to COVID-19 I haven’t been able to.
Strengths
Strengths I believe I have that make me a great netball player? Netball is a fast-paced and intensive game. My number one strength is speed. I am fast on my feet and I am able to identify spaces among players so that I can move quickly and make myself available for my teammates. I am also very agile. This allows me to land, pivot and throw the ball to my teammates. Should the game all of a sudden change direction, then I am able to stop, turn and run in the other direction as quickly as possible.
As captain, I motivate my team by making sure that, at all times, everyone feels valued. I try to promote advancement progression by making sure I help in anyway I can so that players can improve. Should my fellow teammate feel discouraged about the way they play, I will always try to encourage them and create opportunities for them to better themselves.
A netball player that I look up to as a role model? I definitely look up to the captain of The South African National Netball Team, known as the SPAR Proteas, Bongiwe Msomi. She is not only an incredible athlete through her playing style but she also shows commitment to netball by using netball to empower young people to become extraordinary. I admire her because, not only is she a WA and C, but she also has had a difficult upbringing and used whatever resources she had to build a name for herself and ultimately starting the Bongi Msomi Legacy Project.
Greatest challenge
The greatest challenge faced by today’s sport participants is COVID-19. This virus has most definitely outlined the position of woman’s sport to men’s sport. Netball has its own battles at hand and how women’s sport comes out, will depend on how important the governing body thinks woman’s netball is.
Balancing netball responsibilities and academic activities can be quite challenging. However, at this point in my life it is very important for me to prioritize my daily activities. Education is definitely my first priority. I believe that it is important to acknowledge the importance of education. Sport AMD keeping fit and healthy is my second priority as sport is my escape from my stressors. Being on the court or going for a run is like therapy for me, I get to feel refreshed and recharged ready for my next challenge.
From my captaincy I have learnt that success on the court involves willingness and flexibility to support your team, even if your team may not be performing to the best of its abilities. Teamwork makes the dream work. That is why it is imperative that you work with your team to achieve the results that you want.
My greatest achievements in netball were playing 1st team netball in grade 7 and giving younger players training sessions to better their performances on the court.
Implemented any game plans or other suggestions that helped my team succeed? Yes, I have. It’s important to strategise a game plan before every game with your teammates to ensure that everyone knows their role on the court. A game plan is a blueprint for success.
Helping teammates
Being able to pinpoint and help a teammate that is struggling with learning a new skill is important to create a strong team. I would make sure that I make myself available to have personal training sessions with a teammate that is struggling to learn a new skill with the hope of them becoming better and stronger netball players.
Describe a skilled coach – A coach is someone who shares their knowledge on the game of netball. Coaches should provide a safe environment for the players where they can build skill development and devise team strategy. A coach should have the passion for netball and show patience towards players who want to learn more.
I would love to have coffee with once again Bongiwe Msomi. The reason is because she uses every opportunity in life to learn. She has made a name for not only herself but for many young girls who also have the same background that she had wishing to pursue netball professionally. I definitely would want to ask her more about The Bongiwe Msomi Legacy Project.
What excites me most in my life is getting to spend time with my family everyday.
Greatest highlight
My greatest highlight for the past five years is making both my parents proud. Making my parents proud is such a blessing to me. It really is an honour to see the smiles on my parents faces when I have accomplished something. I can definitely say that I have them to thank for making me the person and netball player that I am today. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would have accomplished something that I hadn’t even conceived as a possibility, this includes being in a leadership position and being a netball Captain.
Describe myself in one word – Fearless.
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