UJ statistician Nandipha Jack has admitted that the team is struggling with self-belief but says if they can believe that they are good enough it's possible to end the 2023 Varsity Netball tournament as winners.
The Johannesburg-based side comes into the third bumper weekend at the Maties Coetzenburg Indoor Centre having in Stellenbosch sitting in third place on the log after three wins. Coached by Proteas captain Bongi Msomi, they are up against defending champions Maties and UWC.
Jack says they will turn things around if they can apply their minds.
"The team is struggling to have self-belief, this is as a team and individuals. If they can believe that they are good enough they can get to the end of this tournament as winners. The coaches know that they are all good enough. We just need to focus on us as a team and don't let anything distract us.
"We also need to celebrate what we have been good at in these last few weeks, and then we can be able to fix where we know we can do better."
With the side being full of young talent, Jack knows how crucial this weekend's fixtures are to the team. She says they just need to focus on the goals they have set up as a team.
Being coached by Msomi is huge for the side, and Jack knows how important it is for the girls to have an experienced netballer and World Cup captain in their team.
"We are learning a lot from her, the experience that she brings to the team is relevant to our players to go through. Sometimes it's nice for them to hear what they go through, she also goes through it as a player herself at the national level as well.
“I think that's one of the things that are exciting about being coached by her. Her experience in playing and being coached by the best coach in Norma Plummer, she brings it all in both these roles."
by Ayanda Frances Felem
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