National team netball star and recipient of the Zebras Elite Scholarship Sarona Hans is ticking her personal ambitions at an accelerating rate. The 21 year old has started making waves in the Australian social league with hopes of featuring in the Australian Netball League (ANL) in the near future. A week ago in her fourth appearance Hans proved her mettle earning player of the match at the southern netball cup while representing her side MacGregor netball club.
The ANL is scheduled to commence later this year after finishing in February. Hans arrived in Australia for her studies when the league was at its peak toward the end of the season. Australia is the highest ranked nation in netball and if Hans makes the cut, she will be the first Motswana to feature in the Australian elite league. However, Hans’ determination and passion for the game has seen her being the youngest girl to earn a national call up and the youngest ever netball export in Botswana. She defied odds to join M1 Sunfish in the professional Singapore league in 2015.
‘’ I believe with time I will breakthrough to the elite league. My performance now clearly shows I deserve a spot up there,” Hans told Sunday Standard. After receiving the player of the match award, Hans revealed that it is a mountain to climb for a player to be honoured with the accolade. ‘’This award is strictly given to individuals based on statistics, remember they are the best netball nation and play a totally different game. So for me to adjust and adapt to their style of play was due to hard work and to be the highest performer in a match excites me as a player to aim higher,” said Hans.
With the elite league commencing later this year, pundits told Sunday Standard that Hans has the potential to make strides in the major league. ‘’ Hans is now playing in the development and feeder league which is most competitive in her area. She is very talented and if focused one day she will rub shoulders with experienced players in the state league,” said a source.
Hans left the country early this year after winning a scholarship to study Aviation at Griffith University in Perth. She was awarded the scholarships together with netball duo of Winnie Hill and Onalenna Theetso. Hill is pursuing a sports science course while Theetso is studying medical laboratory.
