LEADING UNIQUE DIVAS TO VICTORY

Mathapelo Odessa Mailula from the Mpho Section in Thembisa is a 36-year-old netball coach who used to play netball in her early years. At some stage, she was crowned the best player and fell deeply in love with the sport and was motivated to start her own netball team.

She coaches the Unique Divas Netball Club, which consists of 3 Divisions, Under 11, 13, and 15, respectively. “We have more than 10 trophies and the majority of my players get the “Best Player Awards” and I was also rewarded with the “Best Coach Award’. Some of my players were able to represent their schools in the Gauteng Championship,” she tells The Olifants.

Mailula is always accepting new players as she believes she is rescuing the kids from the streets and keeping them away from danger and untoward activities out there. “I instil values such as teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, and resilience in our team while also developing their fundamental skills, game strategies, communication, adaptability, accountability, respect, and innovation,” she explains.

Unfortunately, the Unique Divas currently have no sponsorship and depend on donations from parents and their Councillor, Mr. Kuja, who helps whenever he can. Coach Mathapelo wishes to have a netball court for her team as they practice in the streets and get distracted by passing traffic. The painful part is that they are next to the playground.
“As a coach, I convey messages of self-belief, resilience, and teamwork to my team and express gratitude and excitement to my fans, and highlight my team’s value proposition, team spirit, and growth potential to future sponsors