SEDIBENG.- The Sedibeng Netball Senior Team hoisted the Sedibeng flag high at Spar Netball National Championships, which came to an end on Saturday.
This annual prestigious national championship took place at Hoërskool Dr. E.G. Jansen in Ekurhuleni. Sedibeng Netball participated in this tournament with both senior and U21 teams.
The Sedibeng Netball Senior Team brought home gold medals after coming first in the B3 Section, while the U21 finished in position nine in the B1 Section. It was a great performance for both teams despite the U21s finishing in ninth position. This was according to the Sedibeng Netball Team manager, Mpho Makgatha, who is also the secretary of the organisation.
The senior team was coached by Monique Meyer, who made a bold prediction before the championships that her team was not going there to add numbers but to compete. Her team never disappointed as they brought home a gold medal against all odds. This netball national championship saw the best netball teams in Gauteng competing against each other.
To make it interesting, the Sedibeng Netball Senior Team was in the same group as the hosting region, Ekurhuleni, which finished in eighth position.
The Sedibeng girls beat the host 48-27 in the opening game of the championships.
As if this was not enough, Sedibeng Netball Senior Team continued their outstanding performance when they beat Amajuba 50-25 in the second game of the championships. In another game, which was regarded as the toughest opponents in their section, Sedibeng Senior Team shocked many when they beat West Coast 48-29.
This win saw the Sedibeng Netball Senior Team finish undefeated in the group stages and progress to the semi-finals. Makgatha said the proudest moment was when they beat Frances Baard in the semi-final. She said the same team beat them with two points in last year’s championship. She said it was payback time for them beating them 51-41.
“We would like to say to the team, well done, even through all that happened behind the scenes, you guys stood up and behaved like the champions that you are. A huge congratulations to the coach Monique Meyer for returning home with a gold medal and a change within the ranks of winners. We would also like to thank coach Mojalefa Radebe, who was in charge of the U21. We say better luck next time, coach.
A huge thank you to both teams’ management, because I don’t think either team could have made it without you. To parents who went out of their way to ensure that the teams get the best, we want to say thank you. Congratulations to both teams, as they say, ‘teamwork makes the dream work’,” Makgatha concluded.
