The 2024 Telkom Netball Championships (TNC) marks a significant milestone in Telkom's ongoing partnership with Netball South Africa (NSA) and SA Schools Netball (SASN), underscoring the brand’s commitment to empowering women through sport. This domestic league has established an exceptional platform for young netball players across the country, providing them with the opportunity to showcase their skills and pursue their dreams on a grand stage.
Phumza Maweni, a legend of the SPAR Proteas and recently appointed as South Africa’s Under-21 assistant coach, emphasised the importance of the TNC in player development. “A tournament like the TNC is very important as it gives a lot of players exposure and access to experienced senior players. It is a fundamental platform for young stars to play and display their talents. It has proven to be vital in player development because we as coaches and selectors can instantly coach and give pointers.”
Maweni spent a week at Waterkloof Hoërskool in Pretoria, where she witnessed firsthand the untapped talent within South Africa's netball community. “As the Under-21 coach, I was extremely impressed with what we saw because I realized that we have a lot of untapped talent of players we can choose from and work with.”
Telkom has been involved with Netball South Africa since 2019 as a headline sponsor of the domestic league and saw it fitting to partner with SASN and NSA in 2021 to establish this tournament. Over the years, the challenge of young netball players transitioning from high school to higher learning institutions has been addressed through this partnership. The positive results are evident, with 43 players currently participating in the Telkom Netball League (TNL) and the Under-21 national team that just qualified for the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar in 2025 comprising TNC graduates.
“TNC is an important league because it has made it easier for us as coaches and selectors to get closer to players we wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to. Now we have an opportunity of having a bigger pool of players to choose from and work with. I think it is very important that we keep it alive, it will enable us to develop players and see them grow into the senior set-up and possibly abroad. With a lot of the senior players in the national team retiring, we have an opportunity to blood in young talent in time and nurture them from there,” concluded Maweni.
The TNC exemplify the transformative power of sports to bring communities together, inspire young talent, and foster national pride. As we celebrate the achievements of our young athletes, we remain committed to providing them with the support and resources needed to reach their highest potential.
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