Last year, big sister led the Kovsie team, and now it is the turn of her little sister. Tanya Mostert will be filling the shoes of her big sister, Karla Mostert, when she leads the University of the Free State (UFS) team in the USSA tournament in Cape Town from Monday 4 July 2016.

Karla now helping as defence coach

Karla was captain in Johannesburg in 2015 when the UFS lost against Tuks in the USSA final by 39-48. The star of the Proteas is too old to play for the UFS again, and is now helping out as defence coach. Karla and Lauren-Lee Christians, who won’t be playing in the USSA tournament, were included in the South African Universities Netball team that will compete in the World Student Games in Miami, America, from 13 to 17 July 2016.

The Kovsie Netball team is one of seven UFS sports teams competing in USSA tournaments. The others are hockey (men and women), rugby, badminton, basketball, squash, and volleyball.

Mostert sisters are both natural leaders

Like Karla, Tanya is a natural leader. She was captain of the Zwartkop High School team, as well as the Free State U19 and U21 teams. “It is amazing that two children from the same home are both leaders, even if there is naturally a difference in their leadership style,” says Burta de Kock, the Kovsie coach.
“For me as coach, it is also wonderful to know that they (Karla and Maryka Holtzhausen, Protea captain and Kovsie assistant coach) are prepared to plough back at this young age. They are also role models for the other players.”
According to De Kock, she has a strong USSA group and wants the UFS to perform better than in 2015.

The UFS teams taking part in the USSA tournaments from Monday 4 July 2016 are:

• Netball (Cape Town)
• Hockey (men and women, Johannesburg)
• Rugby (East London)
• Badminton (Stellenbosch)
• Basketball (Johannesburg)
• Squash (Stellenbosch)
• Volleyball (Pretoria)