By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A sizzling week of action is expected as the largest-ever SPAR National Netball Championships kick off at Ellis Park Netball on Monday.
The annual tournament, which is slated for December 1-7 at the Ellis Park netball courts, is Netball South Africa’s (NSA) flagship’s event that attracts the crème de la crème of the game.
A massive total of 2400 participants from 52 districts across the country are set to take part with 10 teams contesting the senior A division where the Johannesburg team are two-time defending champions.
Playing alongside the seniors will be the country’s best under-21 players, with the Tshwane team looking to go back-to-back after taking the title in Rustenburg last year.
The SPAR Baby Proteas (the national under-21 team) will also play in the senior A section of the championships as preparation for the Netball World Youth Cup to be contested in Gibraltar next year.
The SPAR National Netball Championships are usually played in August to coincide with Women’s Month but were postponed due to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. That move brings a new challenge into play with temperatures of over 30 degrees expected in Johannesburg this week.
Speaking ahead of the largest tournament the sport has witnessed, the president of Netball South Africa, Cecilia Molokwane, thanked the districts for their hard work in growing the game and said: “124 teams – can you believe it? From 99 last year – what growth… something that has never happened before, so we are very happy as Netball South Africa.
“We’re very excited because more than anything it shows the growth of netball for me.
“It shows how people have started to embrace netball, to know and understand that netball is a career, that it’s something that your child can do and be in a safe space of playing and doing something that they love.”
The opening ceremony of the SPAR National Netball Championships takes place at Ellis Park Netball on Monday (16h00) and will include a special candle ceremony to commemorate World Aids Day, 16 Days of Activism, #ENDGBVF and International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Tickets for the games will be available online at shop@netball-sa.org.za as well as at the venue for R20. Safe and secure parking would be available at Ellis Park Swimming Pool for R10 per car.