Netball SA president Molokwane disappointed with the team’s poor showing at the Commonwealth Games

Netball SA (NSA) president Cecilia Molokwane has expressed disappointment at the national netball team’s showing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

But she remains hopeful the team will do well at next year’s World Cup in Cape Town.

“We cannot shy away from the fact that the girls’ performance in Birmingham was really disappointing,” Molokwane said during an interview on the sidelines of the Spar Women’s Netball National Championships at the North West University’s Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds.

“I saw individuals playing in Birmingham, I never saw a team.”

The national team that finished outside the medal places is set to return from England on Wednesday and Molokwane said she hopes the coaching team will make their way here to watch the talent on display.

“We cannot sit here and try to come up with excuses because I am not a person who likes to give excuses. I am a person who comes up with solutions.

“So I hope the coach and his technical team, as they arrive back tomorrow, will come to the championships and see the talent that is here because we still have a lot to do.”

Molokwane is of the view that a year will be enough to fine tune the team into a mean machine capable of making the country proud in the global spectacle.

“We still have time (to prepare) from now to August next year. And the good thing is that it is not as though we are going to teach the girls how to play.

“They know how to play, we just have to give them exposure and more game time and time together in the camp.”

She believes that with the talent available, SA have what it takes to shine on the world stage.

“If Jamaica can do it (the Caribbean nation finished third in Birmingham) with no resources, then we can do it. We have more resources than Jamaica.”

Molokwane says NSA has gone out of its way to ensure the team will be ready for the World Cup.

“We have got the Diamond Challenge that is coming now in November and Scotland. Don’t take them lightly, we saw how they performed at the Commonwealth Games. Malawi have also confirmed to me and we are still waiting for Uganda who beat us for the second time.

“I was surprised we lost to them. They have just two overseas based players while we have eight.”

The team will also get to play against top sides in the Quad Series to be played at the World Cup venue, the Cape Town ICC, early next year.

“We also have the quad series with Australia, New Zealand, and England. And I hear Jamaica want to join to make it a five-nation tournament in January in Cape Town.”

The fact that they have contracted players to the squad will bode well for the team’s chances

“It’s time for us to build a team and they should be together in camp for a long time. And the more they are together, and they play with each other, the more they will understand each other and know each other’s strength.”