The annual Spar National Netball Champions is currently taking place at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth and is one of the biggest highlights on the local netball calendar.
The annual Spar National Netball Champions is currently taking place at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth and is one of the biggest highlights on the local netball calendar.
The tournament started yesterday and continues until Saturday. A number of Grahamstown netball players are also taking part, representing the Cacadu District team. They will be competing with teams from various districts and provinces.
The Cacadu side were scheduled to play against Griqualand West B yesterday in their first match. They will also be competing with OR Tambo tomorrow, against Mafutsanyana on Thursday and will then play against Chris Hani on Friday.
This event will help national coach Carin Strauss and the selectors to assess current members of the national squad and scout for new talent.
“This is an ideal platform for players to raise their hands, prove themselves and be counted. We have the Commonwealth Games and the World Netball Championships coming up, so the players have plenty of reason to play for,” Strauss said.
Thirty-two men and women’s teams from regions around the country will battle it out for the championships but all eyes will be on the A section, which will feature some of South Africa’s best netball players at this weeklong tournament.
The teams are organised into different sections. Section A 1 is Boland, Gauteng East, Gauteng West, Nelson Madela Bay, and the Western Province.
Section A 2 is FS Motheo, Gauteng Central, Gauteng North, Gauteng East, North West South and Zululand. Section B is Amathole, Boland, Capricon, Gauteng Vaal, Lompopo Vhembe, Nelson Mandela Bay B, South Western Districts and Western Province.
Section C 1 is Cacadu, Chris Hani, Ethekwini, FezileDabi, Griqualand West B, North West Central, Sekhukhume and Thabo Mafutsanyana.
Section C 2 is Alfred Nzo, Central Boland, Correctional Services, KZN Midlands, Mopani, Nelson Mandela Bay C, North West East, Ukhahlamba and Waterberg.
