Botswana’s preparations for the Africa region Netball World Cup Qualifiers are set to intensify in the next few weeks.
This past weekend, the team’s technical bench led by Jenny van Dyk held its last selections to select the final 15 ladies who will make senior national netball team.
According to Botswana Netball Association (BONA) spokesperson Mokeresete Mokeresete, the executive is expecting the final squad list any time soon.
“The technical team is still currently busy finalising the team list. Once they are finished, which we believe will be anytime soon, we will share it with the media and the public,” Mokeresete explained.
While the names in the final list are yet to be known, the BONA spokesperson however said for the first time in a long while, there is a reason to be optimistic. He said for the first time in a very long time, the country will send a very competitive team capable of causing an upset to the qualifiers.
“If you look at the provisional team which the technical team called, you will notice that each player has international experience. All of them have at one point or another played for the national teams,” he said.
Interestingly, the provisional team, which comprises mostly of youthful netballers who competed at the 2017 Youth World Cup, has been beefed by the presence of experienced senior national team players.
Whereas the immediate past national teams were selected based on reputations due to stoppage of leagues, Mokeresete said this time around, selection was based on performance.
He said players were selected during the BONA mini league earlier in the year. The final selection of the provisional squad is said to have taken place during the BONA Fast 5 series.
Another cause for optimism, is the arrival of van Dyk to head the team’s technical bench. The South African gaffer, who arrived courtesy of Netball South Africa, is expected to lead the team through the qualifiers and the World Cup if the team goes through.
Mokeresete said so far, there are signs that local girls have taken to the coach and have developed a good rapport with her. “She already knows her players and they know and understand her,” he said.
“Under her, the team has played only one friendly match which was against the men’s senior national team two or three weeks ago. During that match, the ladies managed to win 45 – 44 against their male counterparts.”
“It is important to note that this was the first time ever that the ladies senior national team managed to beat the men’s senior national team,” the BONA spokesperson explained.
Meanwhile, Mokeresete said the technical team has already made recommendations to the BONA executive on what they wish could be done to prepare and give the local ladies a better chance of qualifying.
“The recommendations are currently in the hands of the BONA executive and are being looked at. Whether they are all taken on board will however depend on the availability of funds.”
Still on preparations, another camp is planned for the team from the 2nd to the 10th of July. While nothing is finalised yet, hope is that the team will manage to play at least one international friendly during the course of the camp.
“We want the team to play a regional international game. We are hopeful of finding a team to play and if that does not come to fruition, at least find a good netball club in South Africa to play against,” he said.
While Mokeresete was mum on recommendations, The Telegraph has it in good authority that van Dyk wishes to have the team hold a camp in Pretoria before the tournament begins.
van Dyk coach’s intention is for the team to play in an environment akin to the one they will play in during the qualifiers. She also wants the team to use the time to familiarise with the equipment like sprung floors, which they will compete on during the tournament.
The Africa region qualifiers are billed to take place at the University of Pretoria Indoor facility from the 20th to the 29th of August.
