In the next of our “Getting To Know Your SASCA Sports Coaches” series, we chat to netball’s Danlee Matthews who celebrates her birthday on 28 August. Here she tells us a little more about herself.
Who are your role model(s) in the sport?
Marsha Wagenaar, the Cape Town netball federation chairperson is one. She is a very disciplined and stern person who encourages you to always chase your dreams. Marlene Wagner, the former Proteas coach who won silver at the 1995 World Cup, is also one of my mentors.
What is your most memorable personal sporting moment?
Definitely singing the national anthem in my first Test match as a Protea player against Australia in Melbourne.
What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
Watching Wayde Van Niekerk break the 400m world record at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It was one of the great feats in athletics history.
In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why?
Locally, my home town of Cape Town is definitely my favourite city. What more do I need to say than sea, mountain and fun in the sun?! Abroad, it’s definitely Jamaica. It is one of the most beautiful places with the most pristine beaches I have ever seen.
Where in South Africa do you live?
Kraaifontein, Cape Town
What is your favourite app on your phone?
WhattsApp
What is your favourite TV show?
New Amsterdam and Suidooster
What else do you do outside of sports coaching, ie, what’s your “day job”?
I work for the Western Cape Sport Academy where I am the coaches co-ordinator and I also oversee the high performance programmes of different codes on the academies programme.
Is there anything that you’ve done in lockdown that you will continue doing permanently from now on?
I definitely enjoy spending more quality time with my family and working from home doesn’t sound too bad at all!
Finish the sentence. My sport is the best because …
It creates an environment where young ladies find their inner strength on court and are able to cope with life off court.
More about Danlee
She played for the SA team between 2000-2006. Before that she played for the SA U21 team between 1998-2000. She went to the Senior World Cup in Jamaica in 2003 and the U21 World Cup in Wales in 2000. She was forced to stop playing at the end of 2006 due to occurring knee injuries.
She officially started coaching in 2007 but had been coaching at schools and clubs in her community while she was still actively playing. She obtained my coaching qualifications at Netball SA and is a qualified coach as well as a Provincial Coach Developer.
