Jenny van Dyk was named the new Spar Proteas coach by Netball South Africa on Wednesday. Her four-year contract is renewable based on performance.
Zanele Mdodana, a former Spar Proteas captain and head coach of the Stellenbosch University Marties, will be assisting Van Dyk.
Van Dyk succeeds Australian veteran coach Norma Plummer, who stepped down from her coaching role in December after overseeing the national team from 2015 to 2019.
Plummer returned to the position for her second stint in 2022.
Sixth-place finish
She guided the Proteas to a sixth-place finish at the 2023 Netball World Cup, which was hosted on African soil for the first time in Cape Town.
Van Dyk is the former head of the University of Pretoria Tuks netball programme and brings a wealth of experience to the Netball SA coaching set-up.
She also coached the under-21 national netball team and served as a national selector in recent years.
We have found the right person
“She has [Van Dyk] proven that she has won anything under the sun of Netball South Africa that you can ever think of,” said Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane during the announcement at the SuperSport studios in Randburg, Johannesburg.
“This process of appointing a head coach for the SPAR Proteas has not been easy. We wanted to ensure that we did a proper job of selecting the best person for the role.
“With a few of our senior players retiring, we are starting anew, and we need a coach who will build with us.
“As a federation, we are confident that we have found the right person to help us do exactly that.”
Minister of sport congratulates duo
Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Zizi Kodwa took to social media to congratulate the duo ahead of their massive task.
“Congratulations to Ms Jenny van Dyk and Ms Zanele Mdodana, who have been appointed head coach and assistant coach of the Spar Proteas,” Kodwa wrote on social media.
“I wish you all the very best as you lead our national team to higher honours. We are behind you.”
