Who are your role model(s) in the sport? Have you ever met him/her?
Anneline Lewis, Director for Coaches in Netball South Africa. I met Anneline in 2012 and she changed my life and those of many netball coaches that I know in South Africa. 

What is your most memorable personal sporting moment?
When I officially launched the Lady Starke Academy in 2014. It was the best day of my life and having the support of KZN Netball, NSA and my community has been a huge blessing. The Academy continues to influence so many people’s lives. It is very dear to me. ALSO … When I was selected to be the Assistant Coach for the North West Flames and got to work alongside Dr Elsje Jordaan. I have a lot of respect for Dr J. She proved to me that not everything you see and hear about people should be taken at face value. 

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
Watching Bafana Bafana win the match against France in 2010 and watching the Springboks win the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and watching our Spar Proteas tackle the Netball World Cup like true professionals in 2019. Those moments make me so proud to be a South African. I cry every single time South Africans bond in that special way.

In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why?
I enjoyed my UK tour because in London I got to visit the Copper Box Arena where the London 2012 Olympic Netball Games were staged and also Chichester because I attended a brilliant conference for Women in Sport and got to hang out with the most outstanding female change-makers in sport from across the globe. I also met Dr Anita White. An institution when it comes to advocacy for women in sport. A true blessing. 

Where in South Africa do you live?
I live in Eshowe. It’s a small rural town in Zululand, North of KwaZulu-Natal. I love it there.

What is your favourite app on your phone?
I’m not an app fan but Sign Easy has been very useful recently. 

What is your favourite TV show?
I have never owned a TV but I watch stuff on other devices and I laughed out loud so many times when watching some episodes of Steve Harvey’s Family Feud in South Africa. Hilarious. I want to laugh like that all the time!

What else do you do outside of sports coaching, ie, what’s your “day job”?
I am a Life Orientation specialist … and I also teach English. I absolutely love being a High School teacher. It is all of the emotions every single day. But you never know which emotion will hit you first so there’s that…

Is there anything that you’ve done in lockdown that you will continue doing permanently from now on?
Yes. Learning to use my smart device more. It is a daunting task for many people my age and older but I’m happy to report, it can be done! As Mary J Blige would sing. “I’m the living proof!”

Finish the sentence. My sport is the best because …
It makes me absolutely HAPPY!

Who is your role model in sport?
My role model is Serena Williams. It amazes me how she challenges herself and narrative about women in sports who are a certain age especially after having a baby.

What is your most memorable personal sporting moment?
I have quite a few but I will choose one. It was the Soccer World Cup final where I was part of the closing ceremony. The best time of my life, dancing with Shakira and freshly ground to Waka Waka.

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
The 1999 Cricket World Cup where South Africa played Australia. We had three balls in hand and just need one run. The time when Allan Donald froze in the middle of the pitch was the most chattering moment ever. I realised then how passionate about sport I was.

In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why?
My favourite city so far would be Stuttgart Germany. It has the Mercedes Museum, the most beautiful site yet. Seeing all those cars and reading about the history, I appreciated the brand even more. The best or nothing.

What city would you most like to visit, and why?
I would still love to visit Monaco, just to hear the sound of the F1 cars on the track and to experience the atmosphere.

Where in South Africa do you live?
Johannesburg. Everything is in close proximity and we have the best restaurants ever.

What is your favourite app on your phone?
Pintrest – it has helped me to be very creative mom when it comes to my son’s birthdays.

What is your favourite TV show? 
Anything Korean series on Netflix

What else do you do outside of sports coaching?
I work at a bank

Is there anything that you’ve done in lockdown that you will continue doing permanently from now on?  
Definitely working from home and cooking home cooked meals every day. I really enjoy making dinner for my family.

Finish the sentence. My sport is the best because …
It is the biggest women’s sport in South Africa and it is too dope.

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.

Who is your role model in sport?
Caster Semenya is a natural treasure and inspiration. I’ve had the privilege of meeting her.

What is your most memorable personal sporting moment?
The 2006 SPAR Netball championship. I won best centre court player and overall player of the tournament.

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
When Siya Kolisi lifted the Rugby World Cup trophy for the Springboks in Japan last year. It was an incredible moment.

In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why?
Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Besides the hot sun and mosquitos (!) the city is rich in culture and diversity. I’d still love to go to Thailand thou. 

Where in South Africa do you live? 
I live in The Orchards in Pretoria.

What is your favourite app on your phone?
My fav app is my Bible app.

What is your favourite TV show? 
Charmed and the Nurses.

What else do you do outside of sports coaching, ie, what’s your “day job”?
I am a teacher, currently doing my psychology in education honours. When I’m not coaching, I’m in class. I’ve been part of the second chance rewrite support programme since 2014. A lot of my free time I’m teaching Life Sciences to Grade 12s. For the rest I spend time with my family. My sport is the best because it not only does it cover both genders but it promotes individual growth and without a doubt netball covers a wide scale from dusty courts to world class courts.

Who are your role model in the sport? Have you ever met her?
Freda Kemp, the CEO of StellenSport and sports scientist, sports coach. I have met her and we still in contact.

What is your most memorable personal sporting moment?
When UWC qualified for the first time for the Varsity Cup competition at USSA that was hosted at UCT. This was also my first year in coaching a University team at USSA.

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
Attending a coaching clinic hosted by Norma Plummer and Nicole Cusack. It’s was enlightening and inspirational.

In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why? If you haven’t travelled, what city would you most like to visit, and why?
Potchefstroom, people there are very welcoming and helpful. Potchefstroom is so small you get to know the place on the first day and don’t need a GPS (laughs). The amenities are close to each other that you can access a laundromat to a shop to a restaurant within walking distance. When we visited a restaurant the waiter and manager was so welcoming that it felt like they knew us … like regulars going there. This is really a great place to be when playing a week long tournament like USSA.

Where in South Africa do you live?
Bellville, Cape Town

What is your favourite app on your phone?
Tom Tom Sports (running watch app)

What is your favourite TV show?
SWAT

Finish the sentence. My sport is the best because ….
It caters for young and old. Netball gives opportunities on all levels (administrator, coach, umpire, technical official, etc) for people to be involved.

Who are your role models in sport and have you met them?
My role models are my late mother and the American 100m sprinter Marion Jones. I have never met her.

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
When I was young, before my netball career, I was a long distance cross-country runner. I used to run barefoot because my mom could not afford to buy me takkies and also the fact that coming from the rural area I was comfortable barefoot. One of my Primary School parents got me my first takkies. I clearly remember they were New Balance.

What is your most memorable other sporting moment that doesn’t involve you?
Serena Williams winning the Australian Open while she was couple of weeks pregnant and the passing away of the American basketball legend Kobe Bryant. It will never be forgotten.

In terms of your travels, what has been your favourite city and why?
I have travelled to various cities because of my netball. My favourite city is Kingston in Jamaica. Jamaican citizens are amazing, they are charming and always bring their colourful personality into any situation. I love the beautiful Island with its culture.

Where in South Africa do you live?
I live in Durban and that is why Jamaica has a special place in my heart.

What is your favourite app on your phone?
My favourite app in my phone is my camera. I enjoy taking various pictures and playing around with features.

What is your favourite TV show?
I’m not so much of a TV person but one of my best series I have watched and still watch again and again is Greys Anatomy.

Finish this sentence. My sport is the best because …
Netball is life. Everything else is just a game.

How Precious became involved in sports coaching: “I was mentored and coached by Marchelle Maroun who relocated to Cape Town. She has been coaching me since high school. I have learnt so much from her bringing along the experience of being coached by other SA coaches. Also, my being coached by one of the best coaches in the world sums everything up. SA netball team coaches, Norma Plummer and Nicole Cosack have so much knowledge and we try to learn as much as we can from them. I took over the KZN Superleague team, Gilbert Stars when I was injured, sharing the coaching with Michelle Seagul.”

Photo courtesy Thuligraphy Images