Bongiwe Msomi

“I have learnt that I am more than who I perceived myself to be before the sport. The sport has shown me that I have a lot more to offer and my potential is limitless.”

“There’s room for growth through the opportunities that constantly arise, the rules adaptations and the potential careers within and through the sport.”

“Investment in women’s sport has grown tremendously. However, there’s still a lot of room for growth. Women’s sport needs long term sponsorships to invest in the growth of the sport. I have seen big corporations show up to major events however, do not continue their investment within the sports afterwards. Inconsistent sponsorships do not allow development and sustainability for the longevity of the sport.”

“All I know is what you see is what you get.”

“Personally, I prefer to be respected than liked because with respect comes understanding and value in my teachings.”

“I have always enjoyed working with people and wanting to help where I can while showing them respect. When it comes to leadership, I don’t think there’s an exact way of leading people, every situation calls for a different type of leadership. Some situations require you to involve everyone and get their opinions, and other situations require you to give direction. Knowing the fine line between the two and being unbiased is what separates a leader from a great leader.”

“This for me is what I take from the sport and will always hold dear to my heart. Through this, I’ve learnt to love the sport and the competition. I’ve learnt to grow from the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities to discover myself continuously and to live limitlessly.”

“I always had a support system even outside my family through Netball. I’ve seen first hand how netball can change one’s life through guidance, support and opportunities!”

“You also have bills to pay. Sport can also assist in that sense, so it’s a fantastic opportunity that one can explore.”

“An opportunity given to players of different languages and skin colour allows the national team to influence kids from all backgrounds. Every player brings something different and the unity that the team brings is also a big advantage for the team going forward.”

“Diversity is our strength.”

“The role models that the kids can look up to are so diverse. They can now actually relate to a particular person because of the numbers and the mixture of the group.”

“Netball has changed over the years with the make-up of the team in terms of representing who we are as a country. South Africa is diverse and netball is currently a true reflection of who we are.”

“It makes so much of a difference if you know you can play a part in someone’s life. If they don’t have shoes you can contribute towards that.”

“There are players that are really doing well despite their upbringing and background.”

“Netball has given me many fantastic opportunities just because someone looked after me. And I looked at how I can use my experience on how to help others so that they can have more or less the same opportunities that I had without having to pay. It was a thoughtful process to start a project and up until today I am really pleased that I actually did.”

“The passion I have for netball is at another level.”

“I will remain a proud ambassador for the beautiful sport of netball, and I will remain fully committed to maintaining my humanitarian and philanthropic endeavours.”

“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.”

“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.”