Springs netball star Elena Helberg dreams of representing South Africa

For 12-year-old Springs netball player Elena Helberg, winning the South African Schools Netball 2025 competition was just the beginning of a bigger dream—to one day represent South Africa on the national netball stage.

Elena was part of Team Gauteng U12, which competed in the tournament held in Boksburg. Reflecting on the victory, she told the Springs Advertiser that the win brought tears of joy to players, coaches, and parents alike.

“I am most proud of my team because we never backed down. We just kept fighting and in the end, we were winners. We stood by each other and never said anything to hurt one another. We were a team on and off the court,” Elena said.

When asked about the key to their success, she credited the team’s positive mindset.

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“We knew the games would be tough, but we went out to give our all and have fun as a team.”

Elena plays both goalkeeper and goal defender, but she especially enjoys goal defender because she gets to intercept the ball from opponents and bring it back to her team.

“We all got along well, and no one thought they were better than anyone else. We share the same passion for the game,” she said.

The tournament also allowed Elena to make new friends from different teams and share her love for netball. Looking ahead, Elena’s inspiration comes from her dream to excel in the sport and encourage other girls to develop the same passion.

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