MARIESA POTGIETER
On 13 May, at Ellis Park Indoor Arena, the Gauteng Jaguars beat the Southern Stings 51-43. The Gauteng Jaguars, which comprises mostly of TuksNetball players, had a great start to the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League, continuing their winning streak from last year. A total of 26 TuksNetball players will be representing four different teams in the Brutal Fruit series. Apart from currently competing in the six week long Brutal Fruit series, TuksNetball are also taking part in the Tshwane Super League.
The Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League is the TuksNetball players’ and coach’s main focus throughout May and June. Perdeby spoke to Head Coach of TuksNetball and of the Gauteng Jaguars, Jenny Van Dyk, to get an insight into the world of TuksNetball.
When asked about how she will approach the upcoming weeks of the Brutal Fruit series, she said, “It must be approached game for game, day for day and also just step for step”. She added, “We’ve got our process goals […] it’s not thinking of the big picture the whole time and it’s breaking it up into smaller achievable goals.” Van Dyk feels that because it is such a long series, “[one can] lose focus and it can become overwhelming” and that is why steps are needed to approach these types of competitions.
The netball team has to work hard and practice often to achieve their set goals. One of Van Dyk’s goals for the team is, “to build on their performances from last year.” While Van Dyk want them to continue with their winning streak, she said she would also like them to focus on putting a great standard up at all times. When it is a competition day for the team, her game plan is, “to have patience on the attack, to be in control and to set the pace of the game.”
“My key to success is consistency,” Van Dyk shared. She added that team building is an essential tool in forming solid relationships within the team. “We don’t do it throughout the year,” she said. However, there are specific times when she brings it in, particularly in the beginning of tournaments. “It’s been working well for us and it has made a huge difference for the team,” she said. TuksNetball has a rigorous training regime where they train from Monday to Thursday. They continue their week by competing on a Friday and Saturday and finally taking a break on a Sunday.
Photo: Stefan Stander
