Netball is abuzz at Midrand Action Sports ahead of IPT

Central Gauteng’s girls’ action netball teams have made Midrand Action Sports their home of late, with training sessions and programmes taking place there weekly.

All this in preparation for the Inter-Provincial Tournament coming up in Montague Gardens, Cape Town. The schedule of matches for the different age groups are different but all the matches fall between 21 March and 1 April.

So training is intense at the Midrand arena at the moment. Every court is abuzz with games and drills going on.

Part of the training for this tournament is a rigorous strength and conditioning programme, which has been overseen by Nniny Tlhone for the past three years. Teams from U12 to U17 level go through various drills to make their bodies stronger and better for action netball.

“It’s going well with all the teams. They have seen a big improvement in terms of fitness,” Tlhone said.

“We have had fewer injuries because the players’ bodies are becoming stronger and their muscles are more used to the impact of competing at a higher level.”

The coach said she would not be joining the players at the tournament but was making sure they could master ‘proper warm-ups and cooldown techniques’ on their own before they go.

Tlhone’s hopes for the tournament are to showcase how excellent strength and conditioning programmes can affect a team’s performance.

So the practices continue, and the girls give their all to become better, fitter and stronger players. This is how it goes at Midrand Action Sports every year from the time provincial coaches find out who comprises their teams in October, to the annual Inter-Provincial Tournament in March.

Details: Midrand Action Sports 011 315 2429.