SA's netball captain Bongiwe Msomi is aiming high

South Africa’s netball team stepped into the spotlight this year – and its captain, Bongiwe Msomi, couldn’t be prouder. We sat down with her to find out more about her and the team’s journey.

Bongiwe Msomi started playing netball by chance. She was 16 years old when she was called onto the court to fill in for a friend, and she hasn’t looked back. Six years later, she debuted as a player for the SPAR Proteas netball squad. In 2016, she became captain and has led her team to new highs ever since.

To support young netball players and pay it forward, Bongi has also founded the Bongi Msomi Legacy Project in her hometown, Hammersdale in KwaZulu-Natal. Not only does the foundation provide them with a kit, transport and food, but it also equips them with knowledge and opportunities.

Also read: SA Netball Captain Bongi Msomi Becomes Spur’s First Netball Ambassador

And, somewhere in between, she manages to coach and manage the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Netball Club. We chatted to her about the experience of having a World Cup on home soil, and what this means for South Africa’s netball culture and community.

What clicked on the day you stepped onto a netball court for the first time?

It was never really a conscious decision to start playing. I was asked to fill in for a player one day, and I knew nothing except what I’d seen from the sidelines. After that game, I thought I didn’t want to play again, because the others were so good!

At that age, you only want to do things you’re good at right away. I didn’t have confidence and I was shy. The coach asked me to go back the next week, so I did out of respect for him. He got me the kit that I needed, pushed me hard to carry on (even when I didn’t want to) and even did special skills sessions with me.

I’m grateful he did because the more I played, the more confidence I had in myself. Within a year, I’d made it into the district team and then the provincial team. I felt lucky to get to go to camps and I made sure that I learnt as much as possible, so I could share it with the players back home and they could benefit, too. Now, I’m a coach at the University of Johannesburg and I’m a player. Playing and teaching have always been important to me.

You’ve played in three World Cups already. What made this year different from the rest?

It was amazing to see the passionate faces of the fans, especially the kids, when we played in Singapore, Sydney and Liverpool – they love the sport so much. I know a lot of people in the South African netball community because of my coaching, outreach projects and playing, so I was so excited to see them all in one place when they announced that the World Cup would be in South Africa. It felt like Christmas, seeing everyone there!

I was excited for the young players to be able to see the World Cup for themselves, because some of them will play in it one day. It also got more South Africans to understand netball – I had people waiting, crying and asking for photographs after games, which I’d never had before!

It was amazing for me to witness these young South Africans seeing a future for themselves in netball. It also gave me hope to see how many more sponsors came on board to support netball after the World Cup. If the World Cup hadn’t been here, I don’t know if all that would have happened.

What does netball give young people?

The first thing that comes to mind is a sense of belonging. Netball is an easy sport – all you need is a ball and a bit of space. Everyone can understand it and relate to it, no matter who they are and which part of the country they’re from.

It allows you to be part of something bigger than yourself, and it’s something to do outside of the house. As a career, it offers so many options: you can be a coach, player or commentator, for example. It’s a chance to grow not just for yourself, but for others too. It’s empowering. That’s what I love about our sport.

What is your hope for netball’s future in SA?

I hope that it creates a space that is kind and respectful. It starts with every team at every level. In the national team, we have what we call “soul food sessions”. We get together for supper but, before we eat, we share how we’re feeling and maybe a song, quote or prayer.

People have commented that when we walk onto court, we move as one – and that’s really how it feels.

We also divide leadership roles between everyone so that we are a team of leaders. We have a committee in charge of organising social events (like day trips or celebrating a birthday, for example) and one managing which uniform we should wear so that we are dressed as a team on the day.

I never want it to feel like Bongi leading everyone else. People have commented that when we walk onto court, we move as one – and that’s how it feels. We want this culture to trickle down to netball at every level. We need to respect and support one another so that we can be united. Then, everything else will fall into place.

What are some of your personal dreams, goals and plans for the future?

I love playing the sport, but I’ve made sure that I have other ways to stay involved even when I don’t play professionally anymore. Coaching is very close to my heart. I will keep my project going – even if I can help five people progress in their netball career in a year, then I’ll be happy.

I believe strongly that you can’t just stick to making your home better – you can drive just 100km down the road and find a life that you can change in an instant. And that’s the stuff I’m really looking forward to.

Words: Christi Nortier

Photography: Getty Images, Puma, Stander Photography