North-West University: Students Showcase Their Action Netball Skills

Action netball is a thrilling and dynamic variation of traditional netball that has recently gained popularity. This fast-paced sport combines the core principles of netball with elements of basketball, making it an exciting and engaging game for participants and spectators alike.

No longer just a sport for women, men and women now play this fast-paced sport.

Making the North-West University (NWU) proud, students PC Pretorius and Shane Labuschagne represented South Africa in the u/23 mixed team at the Action Netball Tri-Series World Cup in Brisbane, Australia in August 2023. PC was also selected as the captain of the South African team.

They were selected for the South African squad when they participated as members of the Vaal Vikings team in the South African Indoor Netball Federation’s interprovincial tournaments in Midstream.

Hosted by the World Indoor Netball Association in Brisbane, the Action Netball Tri-Series World Cup consisted of two tournaments – a six-a-side and a seven-a-side tournament. The South African u/23 mixed team won silver medals for both these tournaments.

Shane, a third-year BA languages student on the NWU’s Vanderbijlpark Campus, was announced Player of the Tournament for the six-a-side tournament. PC, a final-year BPharm student on the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus, ended in yhird place for the seven-a-side tournament’s Player of the Tournament Award.

PC says that his action netball journey began when he would help his sister’s netball team out when they needed a player. “I realised I wasn’t too bad for a guy, and my sister began coaching me. I joined her on her district tour, and we both got chosen to be part of the national team.”

Shane says he became fascinated by action netball while watching his mother and sister play. ”I would see mixed-team games being played at our local arena in Vanderbijlpark, and once I decided to try it, I was hooked for life.”