SPAR Proteas have announced that Norma Plummer will no longer be head coach of the national netball team after her reign has seen her part and parcel of the side since 2015.
At an official press conference it was announced that the former leader believes that she owes it to Netball South Africa to continue to be a support by building the team towards the 2023 Netball World Cup as she will remain as a mentor to the new coaches who have been announced.
Ms Dorette Badenhorst will be looking to emulate the feats that were taken by her predecessor as she takes over the reins from Plummer, with assistant coach Dumisane Chauke.
Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane spoke out about the new appointments, saying that the federation will be giving Badenhorst and Chauke ample time to build a formidable side.
“The coaches will be signed on a contract of performance-based. As much as we gave Norma time from 2015 to 2019, also we need to be fair to these coaches to give them time from 2019 to 2023 to make sure that they deliver a team that will represent this country very well,” she said.
“It’s very important that we play the best we can.” Newly appointed SPAR Proteas head coach, Doretta Badenhorst
Speaking after her appointment, head coach Badenhorst indicated that the focus of her team will be on development and laughed when she was questioned about how her team will differ from the side that had participated at the recent Netball World Cup in England, “We will look at players available from after the World Cup, some players can’t play at Africa Cup and we must replace them. We will be selecting at the Spar champs and I have been attending and scouting at Varsity champs, there will be a surprise or two, can’t say more now.”
With the African Cup coming up in a few weeks’ time, the coach had this to say, “We’re just selected, and we need some time, but it’s very important that we play the best we can. Four African teams played really well at the World Cup and these teams will not be easy to beat,” she indicated to the media present.
However, South African players have been making their mark and are being snatched away to play in the professional leagues in Europe and Badenhorst believes that with more investment in the domestic league there would be more professional players remaining in the country.
“We need great competition and funding is important. If we can get our best 20 players pro or semi-pro, then that’s ideal.”
“I guess Netball South Africa thought that we would fit these positions.” SPAR Proteas assistant coach, Dumisani Chauke
Also speaking on her appointment as an assistant coach, Chauke indicated that it was a pleasant surprise, “It was a surprise, a pleasant surprise. But, I guess having worked with Norma and the SPAR Proteas in the past couple of years since 2017, we had been groomed and we had been mentored should the opportunity come and I guess Netball South Africa thought that we would fit these positions.
The Proteas will be taking on England later this year and after the defeat to their opponents during the World Cup in Liverpool, payback is on the cards, “We would love to payback (laughs). We would definitely love to payback! They beat us in Liverpool and we would want to beat them in South Africa and I guess also they went through a bit of changes in their coaching staff and now South Africa having gone through with two new coaches, it’s going to be interesting to see how the different coaching styles do come through when the two sides meet,” ended Chauke.
Official SPAR Proteas Coaching Staff and Captains:
Head Coach: Dorette Badenhorst
Assistant Coach: Dumisane Chauke
Captain: Bongi Msomi
Vice-captain: Karla Pretorius
Photo 1 Caption: Netball South Africa President Cecilia Molokwane announced Doretta Badenhorst as SPAR Proteas head coach and Dumisane Chauke as assistant coach on performance-based contracts until 2023. Photo: gsport
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