Gqeberha team plan perfect sendoff for captains at Varsity Netball

Madibaz co-captain Mothira Mohammad will finish her Varsity Netball career in Bloemfontein on Monday.

The Madibaz are determined to give their captains the perfect sendoff in the final two rounds of the 2024 Varsity Netball competition in Bloemfontein.

Under the mentorship of former star player Jeanie Steyn, they aim to finish their campaign with a flourish against Maties on Sunday and Wits on Monday.

These matches mark a changing of the guard among the ranks of the Mandela University side as it will be co-captains Mothira Mohammad and Siya Dingiswayo’s swansong as far as Varsity Netball is concerned.

The former has competed in five editions while Dingiswayo, who has been a mainstay of the team on defence, is experiencing her third.

Mohammad, more known for her prowess on attack, was determined not to let emotions distract her from delivering an optimal performance for the team.

“We are approaching the end but I am focused only on performing my best for the team and to keep everyone motivated until the very end,” the 25-year-old vouched.

She was certainly not ready to throw in the towel despite a series of tough defeats.

“We are definitely keeping our heads up and focusing on the positives that we have achieved on court and how we can be better going forward.

“We will never let our heads go down and are definitely going into this final showdown with a winning mindset.”

It has not been easy-going for the Mandela University outfit in what is arguably the most competitive tertiary tournament in the country.

Their 26-79 loss against Free State on Monday had pinned them to the bottom half of the log but Mohammad promised that she and her troops would fight until the bitter end one last time.

It was essential for them to maintain self-belief and connect as a unit in their remaining games, she added.

They are also placing a lot of emphasis on their transition from defence to attack and working on making the right decisions at the right times.

Mohammad said there were many positives to take with her and one of these had been eternalised by her co-captain.

“It’s been a wonderful journey and I am grateful to end off my Varsity Netball [career] with such a great team and amazing management. To play at this level is an unbelievable feeling as not everyone gets the opportunity.”

“Siya always said to us ‘be where your feet are’, meaning that it was important to take in every moment of this journey.”