CAPE TOWN – National assistant coach Dumisani Chauke and Proteas shooter Lenize Potgieter have led Netball South Africa’s charge on spreading the Covid-19 message, while offering online support to help players stay healthy.
Chauke uses her Twitter account for daily “Coaching From Home” posts for netballers to stay active during lockdown.
Apart from the locally-based national squad members, Chauke is also reaching out to Proteas players who are in England, Australia and New Zealand where they have professional contracts.
The enforced isolation has impacted on every aspect of life. Many have found it stressful and have battled to cope with challenges on a daily basis.
“Yes, it’s disastrous because people are losing lives,” said Chauke “We’ve got to stay positive and allow it to teach us how to take care of ourselves, take care of each other and realise that we are all connected, we are all one and that is the circle of life itself.
“Hence, I keep preaching the message of staying positive, staying active, staying motivated, staying inspired, staying empowered.
“If you’re not any of those things you’re going to lose track and by the time it’s time to go back to the sports field you would still be needing to do some catch-up where your competitors have been sitting at home, training, preparing, making sure that they stay in the game.
“Try and look for motivation to stay fit because if you don’t do that, you’re going to have a big price to pay when the season resumes.”
‘Coaching from Home’ 🏡 Session 5
New week, new goals with #SPARProteas Assistant Coach @ChaukeDumisani1! 🏃🏽♀️ #WeAreAllIn #TasteTheMoment #StayHomeSA🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/C2pZnYlmZV
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) April 6, 2020
Potgieter, who had been plying her trade with the Thunderbirds in Netball Australia’s Super League before the competition was suspended, managed to return to SA ahead of the 21-day national lockdown.
Her Proteas teammate at the Thunderbirds Shadine van der Merwe also returned to SA before the lockdown.
Potgieter has joined the “#KickCovid19Out” campaign and has a poster on her Instagram account. The campaign is helping to share facts about the pandemic.
Potgieter is also sharing her workout programmes that will help her stay physically fit during the lockdown period.
Lenize Potgieter in action. Photo: BackpagePix
SA are currently in fifth place on the latest world rankings of the International Netball Federation.