Many may know her for the outstanding performance of the Mpumalanga Sunbirds netball team recently, but Thembisile Mdluli, the current coach of the provincial team, has more to offer in the provincial and national netball sporting code.

The bubbly Mdluli said being a coach has always been her dream, and she is working towards being part of the management of any national team.
“I have always worked to become a coach since the beginning of my professional career in my teenage years. Having that goal has helped me to have confidence, and I developed my skills to become one of the best players in the province,” she said.

She has played for the Sunbirds for a long time while also serving as the captain.
“I continued my hard work and had my eyes set on this goal. I then became an assistant coach and saw that I was closer to my dreams,” she said.

Mdluli’s dreams were validated when she was selected for the U15 provincial team.

“Netball has opened many doors for me. I always allow my work to speak for itself. I was also selected to be part of a learnership programme in the Department of Sports, Culture and Recreation, when I completed my Grade 12,” Mdluli said.

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She is recognised as one of the top coaches in the province, and received a special award for her excellent efforts at the 2022 annual Mpumalanga Sports Awards.

She said she appreciates the strategic measures put in place to develop netball in the province, but that it is not as much as other provinces. “There are few loopholes that hinder the fast progress of netball in Mpumalanga, such as funding, which has resulted in the relocating of most great players to other provinces to pursue a sustainable career in netball. We need to nurture and put in all the efforts to keep the talented players we have in the province,” she said.

She is looking forward to the further development of the sporting code in South Africa, in which the Netball World Cup will play a great role.

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“I am looking forward to the coming Netball World Cup hosted in Cape Town. We are working hard at showcasing our skills and love of the sports, and this will also give us netball enthusiasts a chance to witness international players in action,” Mdluli said excitedly.