CAPE TOWN – UJ Netball coach Bongiwe Msomi has set her eyes on coaching after retirement but she says that it’s not guaranteed.
The Spar Proteas captain has been at the forefront of UJ’s success ever since taking over the reins in 2019.
Msomi led her side to this season’s Varsity Cup final as they finished as runner-up against Tuks on Monday night.
The 35-year-old enjoys what is currently tasked to do by UJ and believes it is not clear what the future will look like in coaching.
“I obviously will carry on coaching because my work at UJ demands me to coach. I’m a netball manager but I obviously coach” said Msomi.
“So that I’ll carry on doing, in terms of the next level of coaching, I don’t know, we’ll probably see how I go. I know probably when I stop playing netball one day I might just need a break.
“After the break, maybe then to think of taking coaching seriously, but I still really enjoy doing what I’m doing here.”
Msomi has been part of the UJ team for a while now as she started as team manager.
She says it was easy for her to transition from being a player to coaching.
“I think the important thing for me is not to think too much of everything, I like to do what I’ve learnt and try and execute it well, and that’s me if I’m a player or if I’m a coach. I think I’ve been lucky in sevens and I want the one thing that I’m born with,” she said.
“But I learn so I imagine how they coach, how they express themselves towards players, how they treat players. So then again when I’m coaching, it’s a different vibe to say, now you’re not playing, just think of things differently.
“But it’s still the same thing, I’m just sharing information as much as I can. I enjoy doing that naturally, so coaching becomes natural.”
Msomi has played with UJ goal shooter Owethu Ngubane in the national set-up and now has the privilege of coaching her at the varsity level.
Ngubane made her Proteas debut in the recent Netball World Cup in Cape Town.
The 21-year-old was added to the Netball Super League side Strathclyde Sirens squad for the 2024 season.
Msomi believes even though Ngubane struggled with her form at first, she has a bright career ahead of her.
“First I have to say, Owethu has been struggling with her form since after the World Cup. She hasn’t really been playing well. I’ve been trying to get her back on track. I’m really pleased that I can work with her at the national level and come back and help her here as well,” added Msomi.
“I’ve told her this that we’re going to come to a point where she really stands out and I’m going to help her through it but I also need her to switch on. So she’s been really good. I was pleased that she was loved in the varsity tournament.
“She needed that confidence booster because sometimes you say things and if you’re off pace you don’t really believe them as much as you should.
“So I think today is going to give her that confidence and she’s good enough and she really is. She has such great talent.”
Images: Bongiwe Msomi/Twitter and Varsity Netball/Twitter