Capricorn renews schools netball sponsorship

The Capricorn Group on Tuesday renewed its sponsorship of the Capricorn Schools Netball League which gets underway in Windhoek this weekend.

The league, which is now in its 11th year, has played an important role in developing the sport amongst the youth, with the tournament now catering for close to 1 000 players from u12 to u19 level with 85 teams from 25 public and private schools competing.

Khomas-based schools still make up the bulk of the teams, but teams from other regions like Hardap, Otjozondjupa, Erongo, Omaheke and Oshikoto are now also competing in the league. 

At Tuesday’s launch, Marlize Horn of the Capricorn Group said they are proud of their legacy of contributing  towards netball development in Namibia, while sport played an important role in building character and fostering teamwork. 

“We remain committed to supporting sport development, especially women’s sport, to create sustainable opportunities in the regions and communities where we operate,” she said. 

This year’s league kicks off at Windhoek Gymnasium and Windhoek High School’s courts this weekend, starting at 14h00 on Friday and continuing at 08h00 on Saturday. 

Last year Windhoek Gymnasium was the most successful school, winning three of the six titles, in the under 14, u15 and u17 categories. 

They, however, could only finish third in the u19 category, with WHS taking the title after beating A Shipena Secondary School 29-27 in a thrilling final. 

WHS u19 start their title defence with matches against Elnatan from Stampriet and Wennie du Plessis from Gobabis, while A Shipena take on Windhoek Gymnasium in one of the stand-out ties of the weekend, and Pro Ed Academy from the coast. 

Interestingly, schools from the outlying regions last year held the upper hand in the youngest categories, with Tsumeb Gimnasium from Oshikoto winning the u12 title, and Walvis Bay Private School from Erongo the u13 title. 

Liezel Garbers, chairperson of the league expressed her gratitude to the Capricorn Group for their continued commitment to schools netball.

“We are thrilled to announce the start of the 2024 Capricorn Schools Netball League and anticipate an exhilarating season of competitive matches. We extend our gratitude to Capricorn Group for supporting us in making this league a success,” she said.