The much-anticipated 2023 Varsity Netball tournament gets underway this weekend (Sunday 20 August) at the Wits Sports Hall in Johannesburg where the leading eight university teams will battle it out for the coveted title over three bumper weekends.
UFS will be going for their fifth title and once again their coaching setup features Khanyisa Chawane, former Kovsies star and now assistant coach. She recently represented the Spar Proteas at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town.
Varsity Sports recently got the opportunity to chat with KC, as she’s affectionately known, about her World Cup experience and how she would transfer lessons learnt into the UFS-Kovsies team ahead of the Varsity Netball tournament.
Please take us through your recent Netball World Cup experience.
“The World Cup experience was amazing, it was great to perform in front of people we know and that were behind us. As a team it was great, I felt we did well for ourselves. The environment was great, everyone that stepped out onto the court just wanted to do well.”
How has your World Cup playing experience aided your coaching in Varsity Netball?
“Every time we played it was good to watch the game from the side, so we could give each other feedback. That certainly improved my coaching eye, and the video analysis sessions were also helpful to also hear and see things from the perspectives of our coaches. This helped for me being able to then feed it to the Varsity Netball side as well ahead of the tournament.”
How have the team’s preparations gone ahead of the Varsity Netball tournament?
“I wasn’t a part of the preparations as much as I wanted to due to the World Cup, but I was always getting feedback on what was happening with the group. I must say that on my return I realised how the team has improved, through the coaching staff taking the team through training sessions every day. So, the team has improved from our participation at the USSA’s, and we are looking really good ahead of the Varsity Netball tournament.”
How has Varsity Netball contributed to the development and growth of the sport in South Africa?
“It’s the coaching, resources afforded to the players, and preparation going into a tournament like this which also results in creating more holistic athletes. The big benefit is also being able to study while you play. Varsity Netball really gives young players a platform to be seen by the national coaches and that’s where opportunities are born to possibly get a national call-up. Most of us are products of Varsity Netball and that’s helped us get to where we are today.”
Full fixture list HERE.
Information on tickets HERE.
by S’fiso Nyawo
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