During a netball tournament held over four days at Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg, Gauteng, the Gauteng Province took top honours in five of this year’s seven categories, which included a category for players with Mild Intellectual Disabilities (MID). Over 900 netball players took part in the 2026 South African Schools Netball (SASN) All Ages Tournament from 29 June until 2 July 2026. The tournament is an annual national championship that features top provincial school netball talent, with players, coaches, and umpires from all nine provinces competing to foster skills and participate in talent identification.
Throughout the Tournament, the players displayed determination, boldness, and composure whilst under pressure. As encouraged by the SPAR Proteas Head Coach, Ms Jenny van Dyk, during the opening ceremony held on 28 June 2026, the teams left their hearts on the court despite the biting Ekurhuleni cold: “The magic you are looking for is in the work that you are avoiding. Pressure is something that is a privilege; when you have pressure in your life it means you have done the work that has brought you to that moment. Throughout this week you will feel pressure; the more you take responsibility of those key critical moments, the better you become. Be bold, play your heart out, think about the areas you need to improve on and use this week to work on them whilst under pressure," said Coach van Dyk.
With the playoffs serving as a highly competitive selection process to identify outstanding individual talent on the last day of the tournament, 35 of the most promising players in the Under 17 category were welcomed into the SASN U/17 Top 35 squad.
Addressing the selected players, President of SASN, Ms Di Woolley, said: “Your selection is a well-deserved reward for your dedication, perseverance, and exceptional performances throughout the Tournament. You have demonstrated not only your talent on the court but also the character, discipline, and sportsmanship that define outstanding athletes. To every player, coach, school, and family member who has supported this journey, thank you for helping these young athletes reach this milestone”.
The Tournament not only brought impressive talent to the fore; it also showed how far children can go when they are fully and actively supported by their parents, families, and communities.