06 February 2023
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Story Leonie Bolleurs
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Photo Sonia Small
Burta de Kock has been re-elected to serve on the new World Netball Coaching Advisory Panel.
De Kock, whose coaching career spans the past three decades, has coached the
Kovsie Netball team, the national South African Proteas, as well as the South Africa Under 23s in the past twenty years.
Under her leadership, Kovsie Netball is the university team that has won the most gold medals and produced 18 brilliant South African Protea players, with Refiloe Nketsa as the latest Kovsie Protea player. Moreover, the university has also won several Varsity Netball competitions, as well as other titles like USSA and Varsity Netball.
Currently, she is still coaching the Kovsie Netball team and the Free State A team in the SA Spar Championships.
Fifth year serving on the panel
De Kock describes her reappointment to the World Netball Coaching Advisory Panel as a great honour. This will be the fifth year that she will serve on the panel.
According to a statement by World Netball, the panel will advise the World Netball CEO, Clare Briegal, and the board. The structure, consisting of nine members – with Dr Anita Navin as Chair, will be working with the board to support the development and implementation of agreed priorities in the World Netball Strategic Plan, particularly focusing on driving the development of quality coaches and coaching worldwide.
As a South African serving on this international platform, De Kock believes she brings a way of thinking from the African side of netball.
As a result of the direct contact with international teams and coaches that this platform brings, she looks forward to making use of this opportunity to learn from them, to share information, and to develop successful players and coaches at universities, both locally and internationally.
Learn from one another
She also believes that her exposure to international teams and coaches can provide valuable guidelines to Kovsie Netball – with their unique style – on where they need to adapt to enhance their performance and win games against international teams such as Australia, New Zealand, and England.
In addition, she is also excited about connecting the university with international institutions and clubs. “This is how we grow. We can learn from each other and serve Africa,” she says.