ZANELE IN THE ZONE

Category: Sportelizabeth

Date Added: 2 March 2010

Port Elizabeth netball ace Zanele Mdodana has just completed her second successful training camp up in Potchefstroom as one of the players in Netball South Africa's elite 15-member training squad.

Port Elizabeth netball ace Zanele Mdodana has just completed her second successful training camp up in Potchefstroom as one of the players in Netball South Africa's elite 15-member training squad. Zanele, who captained Nelson Mandela Bay to the title in the Spar National Netball Championships in Port Elizabeth in August last year, is one of National coach Carin Strauss' wing defenders. Zanele has set her sights on making the final 12-member squad which will be named in March and which will carry South Africa's hopes at the Commonwealth Games in India in October.  

"This latest camp was a real eye opener," says Zanele. She is the only Eastern Cape girl in the elite squad and celebrated her 26th birthday while on camp in Potch.  "Netball has changed for the better. We may not be a professional sport but the whole approach to our performance is certainly not amateurish. I'll be coming home with a serious training programme under my arm. I'll be monitored by the Eastern Cape Academy of Sport and they'll send a report-back to Neball SA every two weeks so that they can keep track of my progress."

Zanele's next big assignment is the Merit Tournament in Pretoria in March which is essentially a national trial to select the final squad of 12. "The three who miss out will more than likely remain in the system as non traveling reserves," says Zanele. "I don't plan to be one of those three and have set my sights on India. We travel to New Zealand in June and I believe there are one or two other overseas competitions before the Commonwealth Games."

Zanele feels that at this rate, South Africa has an excellent chance at Commonwealth glory.  "Malawi, Jamaica and England are always a threat and then there's New Zealand and Australia which usually start as favourites. But we're working really hard and things are coming together so nicely.  I see no reason why we can't go toe to toe with them later this year."

Zanele's inclusion in the elite squad caught the eye of the Nelson Mandela Bay Council Chairperson for Sport, Councillor Maria Hermaans, who was highly complimentary of the New Brighton born athlete. "We are extremely proud of Zanele," said Councillor Hermaans. "She has done Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape proud. Our message to her is to fly the flag of Nelson Mandela Bay high. We wish her well and will do everything we can to support her." And so say all of us!