By Kerry-Lee Christensen
For Spar Proteas deputy head coach, Zanele Mdodana, Maties Netball remains a career highlight, having led the 2022 team to a historic Varsity Cup win. Reflecting on 100 years of Maties Netball, Mdodana and current Head Coach, Sasha-Lee Petersen, share the experiences behind their legacy on and off the court.
For Petersen, this milestone exceeds just celebrating a century of netball, but rather a celebration of generations of women who have represented the maroon dress with pride, resilience and excellence.
Furthermore, it carries a deep personal significance for her. “The 100-year milestone is incredibly special to me because Maties Netball has shaped so much of who I am,” she said. “I had the privilege of wearing the maroon dress for seven years as a student athlete and now I have the honour of leading the programme as Head Coach. To experience Maties from both perspectives is something I will never take for granted.”
Petersen believes that the legacy they celebrate today has been built by the contributions made by every player, coach, manager, supporter and administrator. “We are custodians of something much bigger than ourselves,” she said. “Our responsibility is not only to honour the past, but to continue building a programme that future generations will be proud to be part of.”
That sentiment is shared by Mdodana, who led Maties Netball from 2017 to 2023, and made history as the first black Head Coach at Maties Netball. “It’s absolutely unreal that Maties Netball is celebrating a centenary and that I’ve been a part of that,” Mdodana said. “If it wasn’t for my time at Maties, I truly believe I wouldn’t have been the Assistant Coach of the Spar Proteas today.” Mdodana’s time coaching at Maties became the foundation to her own professional journey and simultaneously helped to reshape the programme’s future.
While Maties Netball has celebrated multiple USSA Championships, Varsity Netball titles and the development of Protea and provincial players, both coaches insist that success began long before they stepped onto the court. “We’ve always believed that a winning culture is built on values,” Mdodana explained. “Those values were never negotiated on. Everyone was held to the same standard.” As opposed to enforcing certain values onto the team as a coach, she said players and staff developed them together, creating a culture of accountability where no one was exempted from upholding and living true to those values.
Similarly, Petersen’s philosophy reflects those values. “Our culture is built on respect, accountability and excellence,” she said. “There is a strong sense of family within Maties Netball. We celebrate each other’s successes, support one another through challenges and hold each other accountable because we genuinely care.” Although championships remain significant milestones, Petersen believes the programme’s defining moments extend beyond trophies. “They are found in the relationships built, the resilience shown through difficult seasons, and the countless young women who have left Maties as better leaders, teammates and people,” she said.
Resembling any high-performance programme, Maties netball has faced periods of uncertainty. Petersen points to transitions in coaching staff, player turnover, increasing competition and the challenge of balancing elite performance with academics. “The programme has overcome these by staying true to its values,” she said. “We don’t shy away from difficult conversations or setbacks. Instead, we reflect, grow and come back stronger.”
Mdodana experienced those trials firsthand. When she arrived in 2017, expectations were high, but results did not immediately follow. She recalled facing doubts over whether she had been the right appointment. However, steady progress saw the team claim a USSA bronze medal in 2018, silver in 2019, winning both the USSA Championships and Varsity Netball title in 2022 and another USSA title in 2023.
“For me it was always so important to realise that leadership is so key,” she said, crediting her management team and players for constantly buying into a shared vision.
Throughout both interviews that Mdodana and Petersen had with Die Matie, one theme emerged repeatedly: Maties Netball is a family. In Petersen’s eyes being a part of this programme is joining something larger than oneself. “As a player, being part of the Maties family means finding a place where you can pursue excellence while growing as a person. It means forming friendships that last a lifetime,” she said, “and representing something with incredible history and significance.”
Now as Head Coach, she sees it as her responsibility to help create the same impactful experience for the future generations. “Every decision I make is guided by the desire to leave the programme stronger than I found it.”
Mdodana is in agreement that the programme’s greatest strength is found in its people. She shared, “The relationships that are built are strong and long-lasting. Even though I’m no longer at Maties, I still feel like a member of the family.” She continues to maintain close relationships with former players and current coaches, describing Maties as a place that shaped both her life and her career.
Both coaches emphasised that success at Maties extends outside the court and into lecture halls. “Our athletes are students first,” Petersen said. “Excellence in the classroom and excellence on the court go hand in hand.”
Mdodana said that one of her proudest moments as Head Coach was creating an environment where their players could find the balance and be successful both on and off the court. “We created such an inclusive, safe space for our players where they could flourish on the netball court, but also do well academically.”
As Maties netball enters its second century, both coaches wish to see the programme continue to evolve while remaining true to the values that have sustained it for the past 100 years.
Petersen’s hope for Maties netball is that it “continues to set the standard for excellence, not only in performance, but in people”. Mdodana envisions the programme becoming an even greater powerhouse, producing exceptional athletes and future leaders capable of making a positive impact far beyond the court.
