Driven by a simple belief that when young girls are given support and opportunities, they can aim high and achieve more. This is the passion that Sasha-Lee Jansen Van Rensburg, Provincial Manager of the Limpopo Schools Netball Committee under the South African Schools Netball (SASN), has in grassroot development. She channels this passion into empowering the next generation of netball players.
As someone who fell in love with netball at a young age, Sasha-Lee says she understands how important those early development stages are for young players. She believes coaches play a big role in helping children enjoy the sport, learn the basics and grow their confidence from the beginning.
This personal understanding fuels her commitment, especially in Limpopo, where young girls with a passion for sport often face challenges extending far beyond the netball court.
Limited access to resources, a shortage of trained coaches and fewer development opportunities in some communities can make it difficult for young players to fully explore their potential. For Sasha-Lee, these are not just challenges she observes from a distance, they are realities she is committed to changing by helping create stronger support systems for coaches and more opportunities for young girls to fall in love with netball from an early age.
Programmes like the PEP mini Netball came at the right time, allowing her to use her skills and passion to share her knowledge and encourage local netball coaches in her district to aim high for the benefit of the young girls they’ll be mentoring.
Sasha-Lee also shared her appreciation for PEP’s continued investment in mini netball coaches, saying many young girls are introduced to the sport through programmes like these, where they not only learn netball but also build friendships and create positive experiences around the game. She believes that without properly trained coaches, many young girls could lose interest in sport before their journeys even begin.
Reflecting on her involvement, Sasha-Lee says, “My goal is to truly have as many little girls fall in love with the sport that I love. As someone who was and still is in love with netball, I’m grateful to be part of these young players’ journeys,” said Sasha-Lee.
For her, being involved in the PEP mini Netball Coaching programme is also an opportunity to give back to communities and support schools through sport development initiatives that create lasting impact.
