TuksNetball Administrator and Netball South Africa Team Manager, Lifalethu Khumalo has been involved in the sport industry for 10 years on many different levels – these range from administration from club/school to provincial level, social media management and coaching.
Khumalo has also enjoyed much success with the Gauteng Jaguars team under head coach Jenny Van Dyk, winning an incredible 5 Telkom Netball League titles.
The 2016 UP-Tuks League Organiser of the Year was also elected as the Team Manager of the South African U19 netball team, which took part at the 2021 African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games in Lesotho. Team SA came home with the gold medal, having won all five of their matches.
Speaking with Oarabile Diphoko, Khumalo chats about her netball experience and the upcoming 2023 Netball World Cup.
Thank you for chatting to us! For those that don’t know who Lifalethu Khumalo is, what would you tell them?
I think the simplest answer would be: Lifalethu is a young at heart sport fanatic, traveler and an all round adventure seeker.
Did you play any sport growing up and why did you pick a career in netball?
Yes! I tried everything. I went to a very conservative all girls’ school, so sports such as basketball, soccer and rugby were not on offer. My two main sports in school were netball and hockey.
What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
Winning. I am a very competitive person and succeeding at things I do is very high on my priority list.
With all the success you’ve had so far in your career, what are you most proud of?
Being an inspiration/role model to other women in sport and helping some of the one’s that I have worked directly with climb the ladder through their chosen career paths.
We have seen Netball’s rapid growth in South Africa and internationally. How you describe where we are as a country in trying to grow the game?
As a country, I think we have made steps in the right direction but we still have long way to go to ensure that our members are lifelong and career driven within the sport that we all love. Having a group of players that are contracted is a steppingstone to have a fully professional league – this will also drive us further up the competitive level with our international counterparts.
What improvements still need to be made to ensure that as many girls are exposed to the sport?
Our models need to be more aligned to our international counterparts but still speak to the authenticity of us as a country. Professionalism will also drive participation interest.
Netball South Africa announced the first ever professional contracts for the sport this year. What do you think this means or does for women’s sport?
I think this is a great stepping stone to full professionalism for those involved in the Proteas set up and that it will soon roll out to other levels of participation.
With the 2023 Netball World Cup coming to our shores, what are you most looking forward to?
World Cups always bring their own vibe and feel. I worked at the FIFA 2010 World Cup and the experience was indescribable. I look forward to the people and the sport the most.
What piece of advice can you share with women who are trying to find their place and cement their space in their respective careers?
Win the war and not the fight. You may not benefit from the fruits of your labour but you are already starting from a better place because of other women who have fought the good fight before you.
Photo 1 Caption: TuksNetball Administrator and Netball South Africa Team Manager, Lifalethu Khumalo has been involved in the sport industry for 10 years on many different levels. Photo: Supplied
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