By REGINALD KANYANE
30 January 2025- The SPAR Proteas have moved from the heat and vibe of Jamaica to a chilly Britain for the Vitality Netball Nations Cup against England, Uganda, and Malawi this weekend, and head coach Jenny van Dyk believes her players are ready for the new challenge.
Van Dyk said this tour has been a great opportunity to test their resilience and mental fitness. She further said the change in climate is quite refreshing.
“We took steps on the journey from Jamaica to ensure that we did not suffer too much jet lag, like keeping the players awake at certain times. It’s never going to be easy, but we need to be able to deal with these challenges if we want to play the best in the world.
“The Nations Cup was an important part of the team’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games next year. Our first match is against Uganda on Saturday, but we are also working on our second match, against England the next day (Sunday),” said van Dyk.
She added they must be able to deal with the different styles of play. Van Dyk said the African teams have their own style and so does England, and they need to be ready to play them all.
The assistant coach, Zanele Mdodana, who was part of the last SPAR Proteas team to tour Jamaica in 2012, said there had been an incredible improvement in the way Jamaica played. Mdodana said most of their players play league netball in Australia and this has made them stronger.
“We learnt so much from playing there, even though we lost all three matches. This will help us in the Nations Cup. Our players are better because of this experience. I am excited to see the growth in the entire team,” she said.
Meanwhile, the SPAR Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane said the team was very excited about the challenge ahead.
“We haven’t had an opportunity like this since the World Cup in 2023. We want to take everything we learnt in Jamaica and implement it. The team would not be affected by the support for the England team.
“Nothing can compare to Jamaica – the vuvuzelas, the pot lids being banged, the general noise. We couldn’t hear the instructions from our coaches. But in England, the arenas are bigger, and the noise won’t be as intense,” said Chawane.
She said the team’s mindset of always wanting to win had not been affected by the losses to Jamaica. Chawane said this team will always fight to the end.
The Guardian 