For the first time in the history of the South African national netball setup, Netball South Africa has offered contracts to 24 players in a bid to professionalise the sport on Tuesday, 07 June 2022. Five netball players and a coach from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) were named in the first cohort of the selected players.

Photo: Netball South Africa

Boitumelo Mahloko, Bongiwe Msomi (UJ Netball Manager and Coach), Tarle Mathe, Nomfundo Mngomezulu, and Monique Reyneke were the UJ players named in the contracted SPAR Proteas squad. Their contracts have commenced from 01 April 2022 and will run until December 2023.

“This is a dream come true! It’s been long time coming and I’m really pleased that it’s happening now in my time as a player and coach. So much to be grateful for,” says Bongiwe Msomi, UJ Netball Manager and Coach who is also the captain of the SPAR Proteas.

She adds, “All thanks to Madam Cecelia and Netball South Africa for showing the players such respect. We do so much for Netball and purely for the love we have for the sport. This is going to give the up and coming netballers such hope that netball can be a career! Incredible!”

These UJ players have and continue to represent various teams in the Telkom Netball League (TNL). Recently, Msomi and Mngomezulu were named Player of the Match in the opening of the TNL matches in May this year.

According to Netball South Africa, only seven of the contracted players play overseas and the rest are locally based and have been playing in the ongoing TNL. The contract binds the players to be available for training programmes that are put together by the coaching personnel as well as Strength & Conditioning coach, including training camps and programmes set out for the team.

The SPAR Proteas will be preparing for the 2022 Netball Commonwealth Games that will take place in July 2022. The team will go on camp from 22 June 2022 to prepare for a training match against England.

The SPAR Proteas Contracted players include:

Khanyisa Chawane

Marlize de Bruin

Izette Griesel

Boitumelo Mahloko (UJ Player)

Phumza Maweni

Kamogelo Maseko

Tarle Mathe (UJ Player)

Tshina Mdau

Nomfundo Mngomezulu (UJ Player)

Bongiwe Msomi (UJ Netball head coach and club manager)

Lungile Mthembu

Sesandile Ngubane (UJ Player)

Refiloe Nketsa

Lenize Potgieter

Karla Pretorius

Lefebre Rademan

Monique Reyneke (UJ Club Member)

Nicola Smith

Nichole Taljaard

Elmere Van der Berg

Shadine van der Merwe

Jamie Van Wyk

Ine-Mari Venter

Zanele Vimbela