Bongi Msomi guides Johannesburg to a third straight U-21 national title

The triumph capped a remarkable month for Msomi, who only recently returned from Glasgow, where she served as Team South Africa’s Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games. 

Back in Cape Town, she added another major achievement by successfully defending the Under-21 national title, ensuring the trophy stays in the City of Gold.

Msomi praised her team for producing a dominant performance in the final and said Johannesburg is fortunate to have such depth and talent in this age group.

"The girls put in a lot of work behind the scenes to be prepared for such an event, and we've wanted them to come up with their own ideas and what they want to achieve. We wanted them to be accountable and I just cannot question their work ethic on and off the court."

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Although many expected a difficult week of competition, Johannesburg looked composed throughout the tournament and once again lifted the trophy under Msomi’s guidance.

She rotated her entire squad during the championship and said every player made a valuable contribution. 

"We wanted all twelve of our players to take to the court and at the end of the day all of them had approximately the same number of minutes. We wanted to give confidence to all the players, including those who came on off the bench to make an impact."

The former Proteas captain, who retired from international netball three years ago, has gradually prepared herself for coaching responsibilities since 2019.

Reflecting on the championship, Msomi admitted she was feeling proud, tired, and happy all at once after a demanding week of hard work and preparation. 

She believes the growth of young talent coming through the system is especially encouraging for the future of South African netball.

Now working at the University of Johannesburg, Msomi says she is fully embracing the transition from player to full-time coach.

She explained that coaching has been part of her long-term plan since 2019 and that she is now enjoying the opportunity to mentor and develop the next generation of players.