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Leadership often brings out the best in some sport stars. For Khanyisa Chawane leading the national under-21 team at the World Youth Netball Championship in Gaborone, Botswana, saw her grow as a player and person.

“Leading the team was easier than I thought. I think I grew a lot from it and now see things in a different perspective. When you’re just a player, there are not a lot of things that actually matter, but once you’re in a leadership position the responsibilities are plenty. 

“You need to know yourself, because the way you handle yourself has a huge impact on the team as they feed off you,” the Kovsie, who is known as KC in the netball community, said. The BSc student in Geography and Climatology is playing in her third year for the University of the Free State.

Protea in the making

Chawane already received an invitation to a Protea training camp midway through the year where she was the second-youngest player. Although it won’t be that easy and might take a while, selection into the senior national netball team is on the horizon.

Hard work and patience

Making the Protea team is something she aspires to, although she is realistic about it.

“It’s going to take a lot of hard work and patience. The Proteas are doing very well and it’s going to be difficult to replace anyone in the team. Receiving an invitation to the training camp really motivated me.”

The soft-spoken Khanyisa, who hails from Tzaneen in Limpopo, has been dealt several blows by life in the past. She lost her mother at the age of 14 and last year a fire destroyed her family’s house.