Schools score their way to Netball World Cup
As anticipation continues to build for the upcoming 2023 Netball World Cup, Gauteng hosted the provincial Schools Mini Netball World Cup Festival in Soweto on Saturday, May 6.
Held at the Elkah Stadium in Rockville, the tournament saw school teams from across the province each representing countries that will be participating in the Netball World Cup in the under 11 age group for mainstream schools, and under 14 for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) for the deaf and those with Severe Intellectual Disability (SID).
Thembu Primary School (Pimville), who played under Whales, emerged as the mainstream school champions of the day, while Phiri Special School (Soweto), who represented England, and the Ekurhuleni School for the Deaf (Katlehong), took gold in their respective LSEN categories.
As the LSEN winners of the festival, Phiri Special School and the Ekurhuleni School for the Deaf netball teams, along with three other selected school teams, Hoërskool Dr. E.G. Jansen (Boksburg), Sikhululekile Secondary School (Soshanguve), and Poelano Secondary School (Evaton), will have the exciting opportunity to attend the Netball World Cup in Cape Town between 28 July and 06 August 2023.
Organised by the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, with support from the Gauteng Department of Education, the mini tournament was a celebration of the upcoming world cup that will be hosted in South Africa for the first time, raising awareness and excitement for the games and encouraging all Gauteng citizens to support the SPAR Proteas who will be representing South Africa at the global championships.
The Gauteng Schools Netball Mini World Cup further promotes the participation and development of the girl child in sports from an early age, particularly those from schools within the Township, Informal Settlements and Hostels (TISH), a key focus area of the Gauteng Provincial Government.
In a message of support to all the young participants of the mini world cup tournament, the Director of Competitive Sport at the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Philasande Muvevi said: “Today we are in Soweto replicating the world cup and we hope that in years to come it won’t be a replication but that Soweto will be part of the host townships for the world cup. Today you are representing your school, tomorrow you could be representing your district, the next day you could be representing your province and then your country. You are just as capable, and we are hoping that in years some of you will be part of the Proteas”.
The next phase of Gauteng’s drive of support for the world cup will be the trophy tour that will begin on the 30th of May and conclude on the 3rd of June.
