Witsies in contention as Spar championships get greenlight
- Tshepiso Mametela
Wits Netball have it all to clinch as a helter skelter sporting year comes to a head with the staging of the SPAR National Netball Championships in Bela Bela, Limpopo from 6 to 12 December.
In prime contention to conclude the netball calendar in grand fashion for the Wits Netball Club are players from its first and open teams, after the championships were given the greenlight to go ahead amid the current Covid-19 climate.
The 15 players have been selected for the Johannesburg Netball Association’s teams set to represent the Gauteng province at the annual flagship event on the grounds of the Zwartkloof Resort.
Keneiloe Kgasi, alongside the star power of the other Wits senior open team members, Renske Stoltz and Zanneke Ras, will be eager to put their experience to good effect with Christine Facius, Megan Martin and Jemma Heidmann of Wits’ junior open team keen to emulate those exploits.
Claudia Aggenbacht makes the cut as the only player from the Wits first team under-21 while
eight players from the regular first team, Panashe Chiranga; Simone van Reenen; Refilwe Tswai; Ashleigjh Gray; Kelly Gouws; Meisie Senokwane (non-travelling reserve); Kagiso Itholeng and Danielle de Kock, complete the field from the University.
“The girls are happy and appreciating the opportunity to represent the Johannesburg region [as part of the Gauteng set-up] in the upcoming Spar National Championships,” said Wits sports officer for netball, Tebogo Rabothata.
“Also, they are happy they will be able to get some game time, play with and against [some of the best players] after a long time of not playing any competitive netball due to the Coronavirus.
“[Further] it will bring the prospects of them being selected for the under-21 national team as well as the Telkom Netball League (TNL), opportunities which will allow them the exposure needed to improve their skills and playing abilities,” Rabothata added.
Wits Netball Players: Panashe Chiranga. Siphesihle Zungu, Simoné van Reenen and Coach Marguerite Rootman at the 2019 National Netball Championships