Puma, DSNC clinics gear up KZN schools for national finals

The KwaZulu Natal leg of the Puma and DStv Schools Netball Challenge (DSNC), powered by Bestmed Medical Scheme, coaching clinic was a resounding success.

The clinic led by Puma ambassadors Refiloe Nketsa, Bongiwe Msomi, and Owethu Ngubane was the second installment of four editions of training sessions for schools that will be participating in the Netball Challenge national finals set for 25 to 26 July at the Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg. 

The Western Cape was the first province to experience the clinics, Limpopo and Gauteng are the other two provinces that will receive guidance from the Puma athletes.

The sessions are a partnership between the leading German sports apparel, Puma, and Multichoice to help prepare schools from the Ubuntu stream before the nationals. The DSNC is a partnership between Multichoice and the South African Schools Netball (SASN).

It is a platform that provides players from both rural and urban areas an equal opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage. The competition is divided into two streams, Botho and Ubuntu.

KwaZulu Natal Ubuntu winners, Thembalethu Senior Secondary School, and Botho victors Shayamoya High School were the recipients of the skills and knowledge from the trio. The Bhongweni Youth Centre in Kokstad saw over 20 players being taken through their paces through drills and got to hear the life stories of the revered South African players.

Kokstad's Nketsa expressed her delight and pleasure in sharing knowledge with future stars.

“Moving forward I would love to attend more of these. It is really such a beautiful initiative. For Puma and DStv Schools Netball Challenge to allow us and give us this platform to give back. It is a beautiful thing. Not everyone is open to giving so much without expecting anything.

"It is always a give-and-take world, but we are just giving only to share with them what was shared with us for us to become the players we are today. We are hoping to see them become even better than us, we are only holding the spot for them now. We want to see them in the national setup one day,” said Nketsa.

Shayamoya’s goal attack Kwanele Lamani was over the moon to be trained and coached by her hometown hero.

“I was quite happy because they taught us some things that our coaches hadn’t taught us yet. We thank Puma for sponsoring us. I was happy to have Fifi come to train us because she also started her journey at Shayamoya like me. She has taught me that when you get an opportunity you need to grab it with both hands,” said Lamani.