Netball SA: Trouble finders and problem solvers

More often than not, the Spar National Netball Championships is hit by some form of controversy.

Every time, however, Netball South Africa somehow manages to sort it out and pull off a successful showpiece.

The federation’s ability to turn things around is a process that’s fascinating to witness.

The main issue they faced in Cape Town this week (aside from a tragic bus accident involving the OR Tambo district team) was through no fault of the organisers, with three of the top contenders withdrawing from the senior A division due to positive Covid tests and unavailable university players.

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And while the same unaccountability can also be claimed for some of the problems the event has experienced in the past, that hasn’t always been the case.

In 2009, transformation rules which were enforced were followed by a massive public backlash.

To its credit, however, NSA has stuck to its guns in terms of targets and netball has become one of the most transformed and inclusive sports in the country.

In 2011, however, the national championships hit the headlines for the wrong reasons again when the fixtures were thrown into disarray after the Central Gauteng team didn’t bother to pitch for the tournament.

It’s a problem which has persisted in recent years, with delinquent provincial and district teams failing to inform organisers that they were not going to arrive after registering for the tournament.

In 2013, controversy struck once more when coaches and players were left fuming after the schedule was changed on the eve of the playoffs, with an extra quarter-final round being added without notice.

And while they avoided any major issues for an extended period, disaster was narrowly avoided last year after organisers nearly created a Covid breeding ground in Bela Bela. Eager to host the event despite strict lockdown restrictions, a misunderstanding of health and safety regulations resulted in over 1 100 people attending the opening ceremony in a hall, with less than 250 people allowed at indoor gatherings at the time.

Though they again had some issues on the sidelines at this week’s tournament in Cape Town, NSA’s administrators did what they always do. They dealt with the problems and moved on.

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For an organisation that somehow keeps finding itself in a puddle of mud, NSA is remarkably good at picking itself up and cleaning itself off, which is good to know.

With Cape Town set to host the 2023 World Cup, local netball officials are facing a wide range of battles including Covid lockdowns, travel bans and bubble trouble.

Fortunately they have sharp teeth and thick skin. And they know how to fix problems.