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Cape Town- Following Norma Plummer’s departure after the 2019 Netball World Cup, the Proteas have been without a coach and Netball South Africa have been out and about in search of her suitable replacement.
The Proteas finished fourth at this year’s global showpiece.
This 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.
Before this can happen, the national team needs a coach that will lead them to greater heights especially considering how well the team has been doing over the past couple of months. The new coach has 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 spoken about the importance of growing the sport in the country and ensuring that it is made professional. For her and her executive committee, getting the right person for the job vitally important.
“We had to make sure that we check all the boxes and do the balances before we could announce the 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 continued to say, “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.”
Dorette Badenhorst has been appointed as the new head coach of the Proteas and will be assisted by Dumisani Chauke.
Badenhorst was part of the management team that participated at the World Cup in Liverpool. Chauke has been coaching the Tshwane University of Technology’s Varsity Netball team, she was also the coach in charge of the team that went to participate at the 2017 Commonwealth Games in Australia. Dumisani has been working as the under 21 Protea’s assistant coach before assuming her new role as the 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 Netball World Cup.
The coach’s first task will be competing at the 2019 Africa Netball Cup in Cape Town between October 18 and 22 in Cape Town before taking England end of November in the same city.
Badenhorst was extremely happy with her new mandate. “It’s a huge privilege, honour and responsibility to coach the 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 Proteas and continue to be a reckoned team in world netball.”
Assistant coach Chauke said she was looking forward to the challenges the new position presented. “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."
The pair have been a part of the team of coaches that worked with Norma Plummer during her tenure as the head coach of Proteas.
