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.”
