Netball is one of the most popular women’s sports in South Africa and with a National Team like the SPAR Proteas as Africa’s highest-ranking team ranking fifth in the world, more young girls have been inspired to participate in the sport.
Netball plays a big role in South Africa’s sports culture by emphasising teamwork, skill and communication as well as providing mental, social and physical benefits which is why a group of unemployed women in the heart of Eldorado Park, where girls have little to no equipment from balls to uniforms, have set out to volunteer and empower the young girls in their community by looking at establishing a netball league with an opportunity of both sports and academic excellence as a demand to enter universities.
Jenny Meyers, the netball manager of the initiative says, “I started this to keep underprivileged girls busy as they don’t know what to do with themselves after coming back from school and their parents don’t have the money to pay for after care facilities or other sports,”
The initiative comes from successful engagement with the Eldorado Community who encourage more active lifestyles as a preventative investment to break the cycle of criminal and drug pandemic through sports and an active lifestyle.
The success of such a league will see an impact on 1500 learners from Eldorado Park Senior Secondary School, including the surrounding community of 3 700 youth. Such an initiative could birth the next future netball stars that will represent South Africa.
There is still a long way to go, though, as there is a need for kit and equipment such as netball shoes, balls and bibs and they also require assistance with Netball Court maintenance and markings.
The organisers are still trying to form partnerships with the City of Johannesburg to assist with preparation of the fields but anyone who can provide them with assistance would be appreciated.
Jenny Meyers can be contacted on 0786332477 for further information.
Photo 1 Caption: Young girls in Eldorado Park which the initiatives aims to help improve quality of their youth through sport and delivering academics through sports to institutions of higher learning. Photo: Supplied
With editing by gsport
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