Mdodana SPAR Proteas Captain for Diamond Challenge

Netball South Africa announced on Monday that a new captain and vice-captain would lead the SPAR Proteas in the forthcoming Diamond Challenge, taking place from 15 – 18 August, in Pretoria.

Zanele Mdodana, from Nelson Mandela Bay, who has been Vice-Captain for the past year and a half has been promoted to captain, as Amanda Mynhardt is in New Zealand playing club netball. “Zanele is an extremely strong leader and a very experienced player. She has been working very closely with Amanda for the past year and a half, and I have full confidence that she will captain the team with great responsibility,” said Proteas coach Elize Kotze.

Maryka Holtzhausen, the Free State-residing Protea goal attack, has been appointed as Vice-Captain of the SPAR Proteas and says that it is a great honour; “I am very proud to be made captain of the Proteas team, I consider it a blessing and will do my best to make my country proud.”

Kotze has a lot of confidence in her new vice-captain; “Maryka is one of the most senior players in the team. She showed her leadership captaining the World University Netball Championships team in July, and the players and I have a lot of confidence and trust in her.

“She has a very good working relationship with Zanele and I think that the two of them will complement each other well.”

The Proteas will take on Botswana, Zambia and long-time netball nemesis Malawi in the Diamond Challenge this week. “I am extremely excited going into the Diamond Challenge,” said Kotze.

“We have had some great training sessions, and we can now spend time on our combination and tactical work. The team is ready and we’re going out there to be the best in Africa.”