The head coach of the Proteas, Jenny Van Dyk, is taking a meticulous approach in selecting the successor to Bongiwe Msomi, who retired in November 2023.
Despite being two months into her tenure after replacing the esteemed Australian coach, Norma Plummer, Van Dyk is carefully weighing her options. Msomi’s departure marked the conclusion of an illustrious leadership tenure spanning over a decade, during which she earned 171 caps and garnered immense respect from her teammates.
Speaking to the media, Van Dyk stressed the importance of finding a leader who embodies the same qualities as the former Proteas skipper. She intends to conduct comprehensive interviews with each player before deciding.
“We wanted to open up the process a little bit. Bongi has been the leader of the group for such a long time, and we want to have a few conversations with some of the players. We have an idea of who the leadership group is – that we do want to announce – and a very good idea of the captain as well, but we still need to finalize a few things before we make that announcement,” said Van Dyk.
With the Proteas’ upcoming test match against rivals, Malawi now rescheduled from August to the end of the year, Van Dyk finds herself with more time to deliberate on her decision regarding the appointment of the new captain.
“How long can they wait? Our first match is only at the end of the year, and all of them are playing for their clubs. We need to make sure that we identify the right person for the job,” added Van Dyk.
Van Dyk emphasizes that it does not matter whether the chosen player plays netball locally or overseas. She explains that the interview process is conducted virtually, accommodating players regardless of their location. She is aware that not all players will attend training camps at the same time, as some compete locally while others are based abroad.
She outlined the attributes sought in the new leader, emphasizing the importance of leading by example and maintaining regular participation on the court rather than occupying a bench role.
