NETBALL South Africa (NSA) has announced that Dorette Badenhorst will be the head coach for the Proteas.
Leading up to the 2023 Netball World Cup, which will take place in Cape Town, she has a mammoth task ahead of her, especially following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Norma Plummer.
Plummer’s departure after the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool, UK, earlier this year, left the head coaching position open and it was no surprise that Badenhorst was appointed by NSA.
She will be assisted by Dumisani Chauke, as both were part and parcel of the Proteas World Cup squad. The Proteas finished fourth at this year’s global showpiece.
The top four finish is testament of what has been a great year for the sport in the country and the federation at large. South Africa will host the Africa Netball Cup in October as well as a test series against the Roses from England in November with both events taking place in Cape Town.
The two new coaches have their work cut out for them as the world now has their eyes set on South Africa who are the best ranked African team according to International Netball Federation (INF) rankings released in August of this year.
Netball South Africa president, Cecilia Molokwane, has over time spoken about the importance of growing the sport in the country and ensuring that we make it professional. For her and her executive committee, getting the right person for the job is vital.
“We had to make sure that we check all the boxes and do the balances before we could announce the SPAR Proteas coach. The national team has been on the rise for some time and for us we want to make sure that we keep up the pace and momentum, for that to happen we need(ed) to make sure that whoever we appoint can get us exactly that,” says Molokwane. She said, “Not only did we have to go look for a new coach, we also had the task of finding the right team to work with the coach and I am glad to confirm that we have found them.”
Chauke has been coaching the Tshwane University of Technology’s Varsity Netball team. She was also the coach in charge of the team that participated in the 2017 Commonwealth Games in Australia. Dumisani has been working as the u-21 Protea’s assistant coach before assuming her new role as the SPAR Proteas assistant coach. Bongiwe Msomi still remains the captain of the side alongside Karla Pretorius who was awarded with an accolade of Player of the Tournament at the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup.
The coach’s first task will be competing at the 2019 Africa Netball Cup in Cape Town between October 18 to 22 in Cape Town before taking England end of November in the same city.
Dorette Badenhorst, SPAR Proteas coach said, “It’s a huge privilege, honour and responsibility to coach the SPAR Proteas team. Thank you to Netball South Africa for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to contribute and make a difference in each player’s life. I look forward to working together with my team to make South Africa proud of the SPAR Proteas and continue to be a team to be reckoned with in world netball.”
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity and honour to serve my country through netball at senior level. I am very excited for this new chapter in my netball journey and life. Looking forward to the challenges, opportunities and adventures that lie ahead,” said Chauke, the SPAR Proteas assistant coach.
