SA’s netball stars, the Spar Proteas, are gearing up for a thrilling netball showdown against Jamaica in Kingston this weekend! It’s their first tour to Jamaica in over a decade, and they’re facing a tough challenge against a team known for its fiery Caribbean and Australian style.
Kingston, Jamaica (17 January 2025) – Excitement is building in the Spar Proteas camp ahead of the anticipated showdown against Jamaica at the international netball Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series in Kingston, starting on Saturday.
It is the first South African netball tour to Jamaica since 2012, and coach Jenny van Dyk says the players are looking forward to the three-Test series.
Van Dyks admits that playing with Jamaica, known for its very distinctive style, always comes with its fair challenges, even more so now as most of their frontline players play in the Australian league.
“Their style is now a blend of Caribbean and Australian netball. They are a very experienced team, and they have three fantastic shooters.
“Jamaica is now ranked third in the world, behind Australia and New Zealand. We are thrilled to be playing them because if we want to be the best, we must play the best,” said Van Dyk.
The Spar Proteas had a gruelling trip to Kingston, flying via Doha and New York, but Van Dyk said they have recovered from the journey, which took more than 30 hours.
“We took the advice of other South African teams that have travelled long distances, and we stayed awake when we needed to be awake, even though we could hardly keep our eyes open. But we have adapted well, and we are enjoying the island vibe,” she said.
Competitive spirits are high, and the SA team is pumped and ready to hit the ground running after doing their research and preparing for this series.
The Proteas are determined to rise to the occasion, drawing on their own strengths and the valuable insights of assistant coach Zanele Mdodana, who experienced a victorious tour to Jamaica at the Netball World Cup in Liverpool in 2019.
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Fired up for the challenges, Captain Khanyisa (KC) Chawane said the players were very excited to be playing against Jamaica.
“We are more used to playing against Australia, New Zealand, and England, so this is going to be very different. We know the crowd is going to be behind Jamaica, but we will deal with that. We just want to play good netball,” she said.
Van Dyk said that although the Spar Proteas were going to the United Kingdom after Jamaica to play in the Nations Cup against England, Uganda, and Malawi, their focus right now was on the Jamaica series.
The Spar Baby Proteas will be facing the Jamaica Under21 team, adding another layer of excitement to this already action-packed tour.
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