It can’t be argued that today’s Varsity Netball-final in Bloemfontein between UP-Tuks and Kovsies is not going to be a humdinger. 

Jenny van Dyk (UP-Tuks coach) and her players are having a dream season. Notching up victory after victory. So far they have won the Brutal Fruit Series, SPAR National Tournament and the USSA Tournament. 

It is interesting to note that of all the local games the UP-Tuks players were involved in so far this year that they only lost on three occasions. Two of those losses were against the Free Staters. 

During the National Tournament in Port Elizabeth Tshwane lost to Mangaung Metro in the first encounter but went on to beat them in the final. In the first Varsity encounter, Kovsies has beaten Tuks. 

As usual Van Dyk is taking nothing for granted. She and her players spend some time doing video analyses of how the Kovsies go about doing things on the court.

“We are not really going to change our game plan as it has proved to be working but it is always important to have an idea of what your opponent’s strategy might be.”

According to Van Dyk their close encounter in the semi-final against the Madibaz could be considered as a blessing in disguise.

“After losing our first two games in the Varsity Tournament, we were mostly winning by big margins which meant the players might have gotten into a comfort zone, but now we realise that no game is won or lost until the final whistle blows.”

One of the stars in the UP-Tuks team is Jeanté Strydom who seems to have perfected the art of intercepting the ball on defence. She is not quite sure as to many times she has done so, but it could be more than 30.

As a defender, she has got a no-nonsense approach not being afraid of getting physical.

“There were quite a few occasions in which I ran the oppositions goal scorers ‘kas toe’, but it was not out of malice. It is just how I play. My role is to prevent the opposition from scoring. Sometimes it takes desperate measures to do so.”

As to what it will take to beat Kovsies Strydom said what makes the team from Bloemfontein so formidable is the way they are able to feed the ball to the goal attack as she is standing right under the goal post which makes scoring easy. 

“So the challenge is going to try and get her to shoot for the goal being further away.”

Marlize de Bruin who is one of three players to have been nominated for the Player of the Varsity Tournament is of the opinion that tomorrow is going to be a 50/50-encounter.

“What makes Kovsies such a formidable team is their ability to keep the play tight for the full sixty minutes."

One can’t help to notice that De Bruin has lost a lot of weight. According to her, she weighs 5kg less than at the start of the season.

“I was really down and out after our Brutal Fruit Campaign as I did not get to play that often. There was a moment I considered to stop playing netball, but I realised I am no quitter. I knew what I wanted, and I realised what it was going to take. So I started to work even harder on improving my game than before it included spending more hours in the gym. That led to me losing weight.”