“When the going gets tough, the tough get going…” For the Tuks Netball team that has to defend their title as VarsityNetball champion, it would be advisable to remember this saying.

Things are certainly going to get hectic. From next Saturday in Stellenbosch, Tuks will aim to defend the Varsity Netball title they won in 2019. If they do contest the final, the players will have a few days respite. Then most of the team will represent the Jaguars in the Telkom National League to defend another title.

The Telkom Tournament is being played in two ten-day bio bubbles, which makes things slightly challenging. The student players will play in the USSA Tournament in between. It could mean that some players will end up playing 35 games in roughly 40 days.

Tuks’s head coach, Jenny van Dyk, is the general who has to master her troops over these three campaigns. She admits that things could get challenging. The safe money would be to bet that she has got an ace up her sleeve.

Van Dyk admits to having watched hours of international netball to help her working out a strategy.

“There are still so many facets of the game I need to unravel. I will possibly be a forever student of the game. The day you think you know it all is the day defeat will become a reality. I know that as a coach, I need to work harder. That is what motivates me,” said Van Dyk during a recent interview.

She also has got a reputation as a hard taskmaster. She expects 100% effort but also gives 100%.

“Hard work beats talent every day if talent does not work hard.” This is a phrase Van Dyk often uses to motivate her players.

The Covid Pandemic made last year challenging. There was uncertainty about whether the Telkom League will take place. Eventually, there was no time to work on a specific game plan. The only focus was to get the players to gel as a team.

“I now had time to formulate a specific game plan. We have worked on certain set plays. But it is also crucial that the players take responsibility for what happens on the court.  A game plan is only a guideline. I expect the players to be able to make changes amid any quarter of play,” Van Dyk explained.

One of the things she did work on was the Varsity Tournament’s ‘power play’.

“It might be difficult to believe, but some players never had the opportunity to play a powerplay as they were at school in 2019,” said Van Dyk.

According to Van Dyk the Kovsies team from the University of the Free State will be the team to beat.

“It is basically the same team that played as the Crinums during last year’s Telkom League. So, they have no shortage of experience. Northwest and Maties are the other two contenders to play the final,” Van Dyk concluded.

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