Proteas player ready for one last Varsity Netball hoorah

| Madibaz defender Juanita van Tonder will play her last Varsity Netball tournament when they open their campaign against North-West University in Stellenbosch on Sunday.

Juanita van Tonder’s fifth Varsity Netball campaign with her beloved Madibaz is about much more than one final tournament.

It is the closing chapter of a five-year journey that has taken her from a bashful youngster finding her feet at university to a confident competitor who became a Proteas player.

The 24-year-old from Gqeberha admits the emotions are running high ahead of her final adieu.

The competition gets underway in Stellenbosch on Sunday, with Madibaz meeting North-West University in their opening match.

“It’s such a bitter-sweet moment,” Van Tonder said.

“There have been so many good things, as well as some lows, but I am grateful for every moment.

“Sometimes I look back and wonder where the time went because I still feel like I’m 21 and in my second year. It’s crazy.”

Her association with Madibaz began even before she started her studies at Mandela University.

She joined the squad as a training partner during her Grade 11 year, which gave her a taste of the intensity and demands of university netball.

As far as her Varsity Netball career is concerned, she only missed the 2024 season.

Her connection with the sport goes way back.

“My mom played korfball (a mixed-gender sport similar to netball), so I grew up next to the courts and saw the love she had for the sport. It naturally developed in me.”

She started out as a goal shooter but had moved into defence by the time she ran out for Framesby High. That transition proved pivotal.

At Madibaz, she continued developing defensively under the guidance of coaches Lana Krige and Jeanie Steyn.

“They are so much more than just netball coaches. They have taught me so many life skills – and still do.”

Krige taught netball but her impact was “so much bigger than that”.

“It is about the person and the life you create for yourself while playing, and what you are going to do when you finish.”

Persistence has been one of the principles she learnt during her time with Madibaz.

“You have to understand that giving up is not an option.”

Another lesson was to grow not only for yourself but for those around you.

“You need to be like trees because you grow to bear fruit for others,” Van Tonder explained. “Netball is not just about you, but really about the people around you.”

Her greatest achievement is her personal transformation during this time.

“I went from a shy first-year who was scared to go on court against the big names to a player who looks challenges in the eye with excitement.”

There is only one way she knows to approach her last hoorah.

“Make the most of this last chance, take in every moment, be present, be with my team and play with pride for the Madibaz badge,” she said, adding that it was about being in the moment.

She does not close the door on her career without a message for those who will be following in her footsteps.

“The path forward was never promised to be easy. It’s your perception of challenges that will determine if you will rise to the top.”

The match starts at 3pm.