Shongile’s star shines bright at netball nationals
Although the Limpopo Boababs did not perform well at the Telkom National Netball Championship in Bloemfontein recently, Shongile Hlungwane's performance served as a consolation.
The 24-year-old player from Dan village outside Tzaneen took home four awards during the tournament.
She bagged two Best Player of the Match awards and two Twizza Moment of the Match awards.
She told Herald that although the team ended last in the competition, the team still gave it their best.
“Unfortunately we did not have enough time to train together. We only had one training camp before heading to the Free State. However as a team we gave it our best and we have learned from our shortcomings. The tournament was tough as we had to adhere to new rules of no touching due to Covid-19 regulations. It was challenging because netball is a contact sport,” she explained.
Her netball journey started at the age of nine at Dududu Primary School.
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But she did not commit to it as she preferred running to netball. Everything changed when she went to Ritavi Junior Primary School, where she received provincial colours in grade 5.
“In grade 7, I started taking the sport seriously. I also met Joseph ‘Chucklus’ Nkuna, the coach of Nkowankowa City Rabblers, who asked me to join his team.”
Nkuna played a big role in helping me to believe in myself, especially when playing against older players.
“I was 14-years-old when I had an opportunity to play in the u.19 Oliver Tambo Tournament. Despite being the youngest player, I still performed well,” she added.
After matric she received a bursary from the University of Pretoria, which gave her an opportunity to play for TUKS.
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However due to unforseen circumstances, she could not finish her studies. Consequently she played for the Gauteng Jaguars between 2017 and 2018, where she had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand twice.
“Going to New Zealand was a great experience as I had the opportunity to meet great international players such as Maria Tutaia,” she said.
In 2018 she joined the Limpopo Boababs.
She told the Herald that netball is her life and she will keep training for more opportunities as she continues to pursue her studies.
Nkuna concluded by describing Hlungwana as a dedicated and disciplined player who is a joy to watch on court.
