The Varsity Netball captains look ahead to this year’s tournament, which will be played in a bio-bubble at Stellenbosch University’s Coetzenburg Indoor Centre from 21-30 August.
LIZA KRUGER (UJ)
How have UJ prepared for 2021 Varsity Netball?
It was difficult to train and prepare during a pandemic. There were times when we couldn’t train because of the lockdown restrictions, but we used the time we did have to train hard with the right mindset.
How do UJ plan to deal with the challenge of playing the tournament in a bio-bubble and playing nine matches in 10 days?
We trust in our training and preparation for this tournament. We believe we have done what was needed with the time we had to make this tournament successful and reach our goals.
What are your expectations for UJ heading into the tournament?
We have set our goals as a team, and we have prepared very well for this tournament. I believe and expect that we will achieve our goals.
MOTHIRA MOHAMMAD (MADIBAZ)
How have the Madibaz prepared for 2021 Varsity Netball?
We have prepared for this tournament through court and gym training sessions, but did not get as many match playing opportunities as we would have liked.
How do the Madibaz plan to deal with the challenge of playing the tournament in a bio-bubble and playing nine matches in 10 days?
It’s going to be challenging and hard on the body. We are a very diverse group of ladies, which will make it interesting. With a great management team, we will deal with and overcome any challenges that come our way.
What are your expectations for the Madibaz heading into the tournament?
After a year of no netball, it will be exciting to be back on the court and play the game we love. We want to execute our game plan and show what we are capable of as a young team. Most of the players will experience their first Varsity Netball tournament and we want to take full advantage of this opportunity to grow as a team.
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CHANTELLE SWART (TUKS)
How have Tuks prepared for 2021 Varsity Netball?
Due to the pandemic, we trained in smaller groups at first to limit our contact. For the past few weeks, we have been training together as a team to work on and build those strong connections.
How do Tuks plan to deal with the challenge of playing the tournament in a bio-bubble and playing nine matches in 10 days?
This will not be the first tournament we play in a bio-bubble, so we are quite familiar with it. We will ensure that recovery is our top priority during the tournament, but we are well-conditioned to make sure we can be at our best for every match.
What are your expectations for Tuks heading into the tournament?
Although we have a lot of new players, we are definitely aiming and determined to defend our title and keep the trophy in Pretoria.
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COURTLEIGH BEHR (UWC)
How have UWC prepared for 2021 Varsity Netball?
We have prepared well enough as a team and are ready to show our colours. Our coaching staff has put in the work and effort in getting us ready and in shape for the tournament. Now it’s in our hands. In preparation for this tournament, we had a few friendly games that challenged us in a good way. We played with strong TNL [Telkom Netball League] opponents, Western Cape Tornados, and a few other teams in the Twizza Championship.
How do UWC plan to deal with the challenge of playing the tournament in a bio-bubble and playing nine matches in 10 days?
We are planning to take this tournament one day at a time. A few of our players do not have bio-bubble experience, and will need to cope and adjust to this new normal. As a team, we are going to adjust to every situation and simply create our own lekker vibe like we always do.
What are UWC’s expectations heading into the tournament?
To be honest, we are still a young team with several players set to make their debut. We are still building, so we aren’t aiming to be No 1, 2 or 3, we just want to do better than in the previous tournament [UWC finished eighth in 2019].
ALSO READ: Varsity Netball captains’ quick-fire Q&A (Part 2)
